The Pivotal Moment
by NikkiB1973
Summary: Time travel fic-losing Ben was never an option. Rey just needed to figure out a way to get him back...set right after the kiss in TROS.
1. Chapter 1

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-story set after TROS. AU of course.**_

**Chapter One-Saving Ben Solo**

Rey's lips brushed his. Not innocently, like a tease, but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. Ben was already losing himself, willing to fool himself that she could really love him. If it was a kiss of gratitude, he'd still take it. He didn't care, he just wanted to live in that moment, to let his senses be seduced until he couldn't think straight.

"Ben." Rey pulled away first, the dawning joy on her face compounded by the wide smile on his.

"Rey." He whispered slowly, prolonging each letter of her name as if to savour them.

Rey smiled, her heart fluttering at the sound of his voice as she clasped her hands to either side of his face. Never before had her name felt so wonderful a one, she thought, as she leaned in for another kiss…

But then something happened, something she wasn't expecting. Ben drew in a sharp breath, his smile wavering. He reached out to her and she brought one hand from his face, clutching his, while the other curled behind his neck. A small frown between her eyes expressed her confusion as she watched him suddenly fall backwards.

"Ben!"

Alarmed, Rey kept a tight hold on his hand as she supported his fall. She didn't understand what was happening. His eyes were closing, the light in them dimming.

"No….no…no…"

This couldn't be happening! This was a trick. Ben had saved her life so they could be together. She couldn't lose him now. Rey stared desperately at his face, begging him to wake up, to stop his cruel joke and open his eyes. But Ben remained lifeless. Her fingers were still wound tightly with his. Rey leaned over him, her eyes liquid with tears. She refused to accept that she was losing him. They were a dyad in the force. Two that were one. One couldn't survive without the other.

Rey refused to survive without him.

"Come back to me!" She begged him, just as moments ago she had begged the old Jedi to join with her to defeat Palpatine. But she didn't want old force ghosts, she wanted… "Ben, come back to me!" Her voice cracked, broken, edgy with despair. "You can't leave me now! I won't let you!"

Worse was to come as his body began to fade right in front of her eyes. Rey really began to panic. She let go of his hand and clawed at his shoulders as she used their force connection to keep his mortal body from disappearing into the nethersphere. Her tears suspended on her thick eyelashes as she closed her eyes, her lips connecting with his one final time.

Rey concentrated hard, placing all her energy into her force bond with Ben, willing him to fight and come back to her. She could feel the strength of it flowing through her. She focused on that energy, trying to draw it toward her, hoping to bring Ben's soul with it. The effort to maintain the connection drained her energy reserves. She fought the physical exhaustion, her teeth gritting together determinedly as she battled to bring Ben's spirit back to his body through sheer willpower alone.

_But it was never going to be that easy…._

If she couldn't bring him back, then maybe she could follow and they could find a way back together. Their unique bond had become so strong that they were capable of transferring physical objects through the force to each other's location. The last time had been when she had transferred Skywalker's lightsaber to Ben so he could defend himself against the Knights of Ren.

This revelation gave Rey hope. She renewed her focus, feeling the force energy flow through her like a bubbling stream. She kept her eyes firmly closed, resting her cheek on Ben's chest, his name passing her lips in a whisper until the whole world around her spun on its axis and turned dark.

* * *

Rey woke up to find herself strapped into an interrogation chair. She gasped, looking around wildly, until her eyes fell on a shadowy figure standing in the corner of the room, watching her. She stared and stared as her frazzled mind tried to process what she was seeing. The shadowy figure moved into the light, the metallic glow from his black mask proving as intimidating as the first time she had been confronted with it.

"This can't be happening." She murmured in disbelief.

She was back on Starkiller Base again. The first time she had been properly confronted with Kylo Ren. Her attempt to follow Ben had worked only too well. She had followed him just like she wanted, but back into his past.

Kylo Ren walked forward, studying her carefully, his black cape swirling around his feet as he approached. Rey immediately put her mental barriers up, protecting her mind from him. She had to be careful of her interactions with him. If she let anything slip it could prove disastrous.

"Where am I?" She whispered. The words were like an echo from her own memory.

"You're my guest." Kylo's synthesized voice came from behind the black mask.

"Where are the others?" Even though Rey already knew. She felt like she was acting a part in a play. The words already written for her.

"Do you mean the murderers, the traitors, the fiends that you call friends?" Kylo sneered. "You'll be relieved to know I have no idea." He walked around her. "You still want to kill me." His tone was curious now.

"That's what happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask." Rey snapped. She was impatient for him to take the mask off. She needed him to take it off. She was desperate to see his face…his eyes.

Just as she knew he would, Kylo set off the mechanised system inside the mask and opened it, raising it over his head, revealing the young face of the dark prince underneath. Rey couldn't stop the little gasp of surprise at the dramatic reveal even though she knew it was coming. She stared at Kylo's-no Ben's-face, searching for a sign of recognition, something.

"Tell me about the droid." He said, his sultry tone matter of fact.

Rey blinked a few times, forgetting what she may have originally answered him. When she failed to speak, a fine line of frustration appeared between his brows. He huffed out an annoyed breath.

"The droid is carrying a section of a navigational chart. We have the rest. It was recovered from the archives of the empire, but we need the last piece and somehow you convinced the droid to show it to you. You…. a scavenger." He said scathingly. He leaned forward, his dark eyes raking hers. "You know I can take whatever I want."

Rey had a sudden urge to laugh. She kept expecting Ben to suddenly announce he was joking, that the roleplay was coming to an end. It was only when he raised his hand, his eyes focusing on hers that she managed to focus again. She settled back in the chair, a smile playing about her lips as she easily deflected his attempts to probe her mind for answers. He drew closer to her, putting more pressure on, the force of his power butting against hers, before she pushed it back at him.

Kylo's handsome features twisted into an angry scowl as he stepped away from her, putting some distance between them. He was perplexed, confused as to why she was able to resist him. Angry that her mental strength was as great, or nearly as great, as his.

"I know you've seen the map. Its in there. And now you'll give it to me." Kylo's voice and expression hardened as he used the full force of his powers on her.

Rey tensed, fortifying the shutters on her mind as she deflected his attempts to pull the information out of her head as easily as a human swatting a fly. Hand held out toward her, Kylo's jaw flexed as he put more and more pressure on, his frustration growing out of control as she pushed him completely out of her mind, sending him reeling.

"My turn." She muttered.

Kylo Ren wasn't prepared for the mental backlash as Rey invaded his mind. He wasn't quick enough to activate his own shields and she was immediately privy to all his thoughts and emotions. The onslaught of sharing all his secret doubts and fears took her by surprise and she immediately withdrew, the effort leaving them both gasping for breath.

"How the hell did you that?" Kylo demanded roughly. "Only the most highly trained Jedi would be able to resist me like that." He was clearly shaken by the whole experience. "Who are you really?" He demanded, walking around her.

"I'm a nobody. A scavenger just like you said."

_You're a Palpatine. A direct descendant of the most powerful Sith that ever lived._

Rey ignored the traitorous whisper inside her head and focused on Ren. He continued to pace, his whole body tense, his expression wondering.

"I wasn't expecting this." He murmured, gazing at her intently with those incredible eyes of his.

Rey felt herself getting lost in those eyes. "This isn't Ben yet…he's still hiding under his Kylo persona…focus, girl, focus." She berated herself internally.

Kylo Ren noticed she was distracted. His hand shot out and he probed her mind again before she was able to prop up her mental barriers. He managed to extract something from her head, but it was something that unnerved him.

"You know who I am."

Rey could have kicked herself. She floundered, wondering how to answer him, then decided to go with the partial truth. "I know you are Han Solo's son. You know I have been spending time with your father."

"He told you that?" Kylo said in disbelief. He sounded surprised, the news seeming to take him off guard.

Rey didn't answer his question. "He misses you, Ben" She said instead.

"Ben Solo is dead." Kylo snarled.

It was an echo of what she had heard him say to Han once before. The memory of when she had heard those words made her skin pale. It was right before he had killed his own father in an effort to cement his commitment to the darkness within him, to try and supress the last flicker of light that refused to be extinguished. Instead his actions had left him more tormented and conflicted then ever.

Rey tried to shake off the bad memory. Han was still alive. She was here. She knew what was coming. With this prior knowledge she could save both the Solo men from themselves. Her heart began to palpitate faster in her chest. Maybe that was why she had been sent back to this pivotal point in Ben's past, to stop him travelling further down the dark path that ended in his father's murder.

"Ben Solo is not dead." Rey said determinedly. "He's right here in front of me. I can sense your inner conflict. Don't be afraid, Ben. I feel it, too."

A silent yearning flickered in Kylo Ren's eyes for a moment-she saw Ben-but then the mask was back. His expression hardened. "I killed Ben Solo. Don't put your trust in Han, he will only disappoint you."

Rey wanted to scream with frustration. For a second, one micro second, she had thought she was getting through to him. But it was never going to be that easy. Their confrontation had thrown him. He was getting ready to leave the room, eager to put some distance between them so he could figure out his next move.

Rey wasn't having that. If she let him out of her sight, then she would have lost her chance to save Han. She would lose her chance to save him. She would make him see, even if it meant holding him hostage. Rey saw Kylo's eyes narrow as if he had gotten a sense of her intentions. He was fast, but Rey was faster. She was out of the restraints; his red lightsaber sparking in her hand as she pointed it directly at his heart.

"Who are you and what do you want?" He ground out angrily.

"I've come to save Ben Solo, just like he saved me." She told him.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story.**_

**Chapter Two-A Dyad in the Force**

Kylo was entranced by the young scavenger girl. He couldn't help but admire her courage. In a short space of time she had gotten under his skin, pierced his defences as easily as a spider catches a fly. They were in a stand off now. She stood in front of him, wielding his lightsaber as if she owned it.

"What do you hope to achieve here?" He asked congenially, there was even a hint of amusement in his tone. "This place is swarming with storm troopers. You won't get very far."

"Don't be fooled by my appearance. I know what I'm doing." Rey lied boldly.

_What am I doing? _

"You do?" A sarcastic smile played about his full lips. "Ah, you do." He said, stepping forward.

Rey stood her ground. His red lightsaber seemed to spark and hiss in protest as if it was angry at being separated from its master. "Ben, you need to listen to me."

This provoked a reaction out of him. Kylo Ren's gloved hands curled into fists as he stepped forward aggressively, his dark eyes sparking with as much anger as his saber. "Don't call me that. Ben Solo is dead."

"Not yet. Not yet." Rey murmured.

Kylo shook his head in denial, scowling. His arm shot forward, his hand and fingers extended as he used the full power of the force to pry the lightsaber out of the scavenger girl's hands. To his surprise she didn't even fight him. His lightsaber flew out of her grasp and right into his. He curled his gloved fingers around the metal hilt eagerly.

Rey watched him warily. She saw the gleam of victory in his eyes as he lifted the plasma blade, seeming to admire the way his weapon sparked like a flickering flame. She swallowed thickly, still standing her ground. Despite the danger she was in, she had to believe he wouldn't hurt her. Even through their many battles, she always felt Ben had held himself back. He could have ended her life many times-even during their earliest encounters-he was a skilled warrior with the Jedi blade, had been trained by the best.

The distinctive hum of the lightsaber suddenly went silent as Kylo Ren shut it down. He seemed to have his sudden burst of temper under control again. "I know why you're here." He said, his tone gentle again, the same hint of amusement underneath.

"I told you why I'm here." Rey said again.

"You said you've been spending time with Han Solo." Kylo mused. "You're doing this for him. He feels like the father you never had. Through some twisted sense of loyalty to him you want to save me. Is that it, Rey from nowhere?"

Rey's lips twitched as she studied him carefully. "How do you know I'm from nowhere? You know nothing about me."

A small line of irritation formed between his brows. "I saw it inside your head."

"Did you? Really? I let you see only what I wanted you to see." Rey was the one stepping forward now. To her satisfaction she watched him take a step back. "You struggled to see inside my head. I fought you every step of the way, Ben Solo. I fascinate you. I can see it. I can tell. I'm an enigma, a mystery you want to solve."

"You seem very sure of yourself." Kylo sneered. "But you seem to forget, you're a prisoner on my ship."

"What I'm no longer a guest?" Rey laughed in his face.

"Don't push me, scavenger." Kylo warned her. "I'm running out of patience."

"And I'm running out of time." Rey's hazel eyes were glassy with tears. "Forgive me, Ben." She whispered.

"Forgive you for what?" Kylo demanded.

Rey's arm shot out, her hand and fingers extended toward him as she unleashed the full power of the force on him. She saw his eyes widen in surprise at the sudden assault. He quickly extended his own hand, putting up his mental barriers, trying to keep her out of his head. But he wasn't aware of her true intent. She didn't want to see inside his mind, she already knew this part of his story. She needed him to see the future of his. Rey pressed her advantage, her brow furrowing, her teeth gritting together as she pushed against him.

A low hum vibrated around the interrogation room. Lights flickered erratically; the metal walls buckled in protest as the invisible energy flowing between them began to destroy everything close to them.

"Don't resist me, Ben. I don't want to hurt you." Rey cried out breathlessly. "But you need to see."

Kylo's arm was shaking with the effort to push Rey out of his head. Perspiration broke out on his brow. He felt hot, his heart was racing. And he was afraid. He was terrified. He didn't want to see what she had to show him. He was Kylo Ren. He had buried Ben Solo so deep that there wasn't a chance in hell he could ever be resurrected.

"Please, Ben." Rey was openly weeping now. She could feel him weakening under her onslaught. She hated forcing this on him. But she had no choice. He had to see. He had to be made to understand.

The consoles burst into flames around them. The vibrating hum became a wicked droning noise. It entered Kylo Ren's head, forcing him down to his knees in agony. His arm dropped to his side, his head bowing in defeat as Rey's power overwhelmed him. Images swirled around his head, followed by the feelings and thoughts that accompanied them. He covered his ears with his hands, clenching his eyes tight shut in an effort to ward them away.

_But they kept on coming anyway…_

* * *

"_For many years, there was balance and then I saw Ben. My nephew with that mighty Skywalker blood. In my hubris, I thought I could train him; I could pass on my strengths." _

Luke?

"_Hey, kid, you sure this is the life for you? You do know there are other paths, right?" _

Han Solo? Dad?

"_I never…I didn't want this." _

The agony in his young voice was disturbing.

"_And you did not choose it, Ben." _

Snoke!

"_The Jedi did. Skywalker." _

His teeth clenched together in anguish as he tried to stem the tide of voices, to stop the flow of images pounding in his head and crushing his heart.

"_The Knights of Ren could be your first step on that path. They always seek powerful people to join their ranks. But be warned…. the price of admission is steep." _

Snoke's cunning voice whispered in his head as he pushed him on his first steps toward the dark path.

"_And when you called yourself by that new name, you saw the truth. It represents what you want to do on a deep level. The part of yourself that you want to cut away. The part you want to kill. Perhaps some day you will do it. The galaxy will hear that name and fear you." _

Snoke again, praising him as he killed Ben Solo and rose up as Kylo Ren. He was afraid, so afraid.

"_Use your fear. Let it crystallise into anger. Turn that anger into power." _

So, he did. His anger was the driving force of his power. Kylo Ren's power.

"_I feel cold, death, and more."_

He was in torment. All. The. Time.

The dark waged a war with the light inside him. Constantly. Every waking breath was a battle. Every sleeping dream was a nightmare.

"Ben." A gentle hand touched his shoulder. "Ben."

He gripped the hand in his gloved fist, holding on so tight.

"Stop reliving the past, Ben. I need you to see the future."

He shook his head defiantly. But the future came anyway.

* * *

"_The Droid we seek is aboard The Millennium Falcon. In the hands of your father, Ben Solo." _

"_He means nothing to me." _

"_Even you, Master of the Knights of Ren, have never faced such a test." _

"_By the grace of your training. I will not be seduced." _

"_We shall see. We shall see." _

Snoke's sneering tone reverberated around his head as he knelt down deferentially before the Supreme Leader.

"We're getting closer now, Ben. Don't be afraid."

Her soft, gentle cadence pierced his fragile psyche. His grip on her hand tightened. His breath coming in quiet gasps.

"You're not alone." She whispered.

"I'm not alone." He echoed her.

"_You still want to kill me."_

"_That's what happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask." _

The words he had said to the young scavenger only moments ago, and her response, brought him back to the present. He raised his head, his confused gaze finding hers. She nodded her head subtly. He swallowed, staring at her as if she was his salvation.

"I'm sorry, Ben." She said sadly as a lone tear travelled down the pale skin of her cheek.

Kylo Ren sucked in a sharp breath as his vision went black. Even though he couldn't see her, he could still feel her close. He fumbled with the glove on his right hand, peeling it off like a snake sheds its skin. He felt the scavenger girl's fingers curl around his in comfort even as she continued to torture him.

Then…

"Ben!"

Han Solo's voice echoed around his head like a curse.

Kylo's vision cleared and he found himself advancing toward Han Solo along the walkway until only a space of a few feet separated them. It was the first time he had seen Han Solo since he was ten years old and been banished from his family to be trained by his legendary Uncle, Luke Skywalker.

"Han Solo, I have been waiting for this day for a long time."

The synthesized voice that came from under his black mask didn't seem to intimidate Han like he had hoped. It surprised Kylo just how much Han Solo had aged. In his mind he still pictured the vital young man of his youth.

"Take off that mask. You don't need it." Han yelled.

"What do you think you will see if you do?" Kylo taunted.

"The face of my son."

Kylo paused for a few tense seconds before setting off the secret mechanism inside of the mask. He lifted it over his head, revealing the human boy underneath, just like he had to the scavenger girl.

"Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish like his father. So, I destroyed him."

"That's what Snoke wants you to believe." Han said huskily, stepping toward him. His heavy boots echoed on the metal walkway as he moved. The wind whistled around them like a thousand ghosts. "But its not true. My son is alive."

"No." Kylo shook his head dismissively. "The Supreme Leader is wise."

"Snoke is using you for your powers." Han persisted. "When he gets what he wants he will crush you. You know it's true."

"Its too late." Kylo responded in barely a whisper.

"Its not too late. Come home. We miss you."

Han Solo's words affected him. As much as he wanted to bury the longing, it crept up on his heart, making him yearn to feel his father's strong arms around him, comforting him, nurturing him. Like he remembered Han doing when he was a very small boy, when the insidious voices kept him awake at night and he couldn't sleep. Before he was pegged as evil and Han became afraid of him.

"I'm being torn apart. I want to be free of this pain." It was Ben crying in anguish now as Kylo's mask slipped for a second. "I know what I have to do, but I don't know it I have the strength to do it." His lower lip quivered. "Will you help me?"

"Yes, anything." Han promised solemnly.

Kylo reached for his lightsaber and held it between them with both hands. Han put his hand on top as father and son stared at each other for a long moment. Then just like that the red plasma blade was activated, plunging straight through Han Solo.

"I'm sorry, Ben." The scavenger girl's voice came from far away. He held onto her hand like a life buoy as he stared in horror at the blade Kylo Ren had driven through his own father's body. "Hold onto me. Hold on." She pleaded. "It's almost over now."

Han's shaking hand reached for his face, the dying light from his eyes fixed solely on his son. Then the blade shut off and his body fell lifelessly into the endless void, taking Kylo Ren with it.

* * *

Ben opened his eyes to see Rey kneeling in front of him. The light from the burning consoles reflected off her dewy skin, her luminous eyes were full of sympathy_… for him._

"I had to make you see, Ben." She said shakily. One hand hovered by his face. "I had no choice."

In the vision of the future she had forced on him he had just killed his own father, but she was still looking at him with compassion, like he was worth saving. He didn't understand. He was a monster.

"Who are you?" He asked again, his voice cracking under the strain. "Who are you, really?"

"My father was the son of the emperor." Rey explained tremulously. It stabbed at her heart having to admit this out loud. "Your mother was the son of Vader. We're a dyad in the force, Ben. Two that are one." Her hand landed on his cold cheek and she sighed. "I couldn't live with out my other half. I had to come back and save him."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story!**_

**Chapter Three-Misunderstanding**

They sat apart, but facing one another, their postures mirroring each other like two sides of the same coin. Rey was talking. She felt like she had been talking forever. There was so much to say, but so little time to say it. Ben was struggling under the weight of this newfound knowledge. She could sense it in the subtle nuance of his body language-every quiet intake of breath, the slight widening of his eyes when she said something that hurt him, the small quiver in his lower lip when she spoke about his past, his family…. Luke Skywalker.

"You have to let your anger toward Luke Skywalker go." Rey said suddenly as she felt the wave of Ben's anger toward his uncle and former mentor flickering through their force bond. "It will only consume you and make Kylo Ren stronger again. Don't give into it, Ben."

"You say you know what he did." Ben ground out.

"I know what you _thought _he was going to do." Rey sighed, wishing she had time to show him, to make him understand how remorseful Luke felt about his temporary loss of control the night Ben awoke to find his uncle standing over him with a raised lightsaber.

"He was going to kill me." Ben murmured, he was looking inward, lost in the past. "I had to defend myself. I parried his blade and used the force to collapse the hut on top of him. I thought he was dead."

Rey flinched and bowed her head. This was one part of his past she couldn't reconcile with. Luke had told her that in his anger Ben had killed the other students. The Jedi master had awoken under a pile of rubble, rising to find the temple in flames, the students massacred, and no sign of Ben Solo.

Ben looked at her sharply, catching the slight shudder running through her body. "What exactly do you think happened?" He demanded. "What did Skywalker say?"

"We're wasting time talking about this." Rey couldn't meet his eyes. "The past can't be changed. Its how we move forward in the future that matters."

Ben wasn't satisfied with that weak answer. Resentment flared up inside him, and before Rey had time to prepare herself, he used the full power of the force to see inside her head and pull out what he wanted to know. Rey immediately tried to fight him and push him out of her head. Their eyes locked in a mental battle of wills. Perspiration broke out on their skin; jaws tensed. Ben put the pressure on, his hand extended toward her, pushing and pushing. With the sheer force of his anger he pulled the answer out of her head.

"_I saw darkness. I'd sensed it building in him. I'd seen it in moments during his training. But then I looked inside, and it was beyond what I ever imagined. Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction, and pain, and death, and the end of everything I love because of what he would become. And for the briefest moment of pure instinct, I thought I could stop it. It passed like a fleeting shadow. And I was left with shame... and with consequence. And the last thing I saw were the eyes of a frightened boy whose master had failed him._"

Ben's jaw pulsed as his anger grew and grew inside him, until it was like a flaming whirlwind. His blind rage and utter despair about what his Uncle had done to him, was ultimately tempered by the significance of what he had been accused of afterward, the crimes that had been placed on his shoulders, all of the things he had been innocent of, but were cemented in the mind of this girl, this girl who claimed she wanted to save him.

"You want the truth of what happened that night?" He yelled at her.

"Ben." Rey whispered in anguish. "Don't do this. Don't let your anger win."

But Ben wasn't in a forgiving mood. She had forced his future on him. He would force his past on her. His anger fuelled his power, just like it had always done, and he pushed right through Rey's defences, forcing her to see.

* * *

_Rey saw Ben standing partially in shadow. A powerful storm was brewing above him. She got a brief glimpse of his face as lightening streaked the sky. He looked young, frightened, scared out of his mind. A strong wind shook the sky with hurricane force, nearly taking him with it. The storm got stronger and stronger, rocking the Jedi temple in its very foundations. _

_Then the unthinkable happened. A mighty explosion cracked the earth under Ben's feet, throwing him backwards. It set the temple and the other buildings ablaze. Ben heard the screams of his fellow students. He stumbled forward, intending to try and save them, but another powerful explosion sent him flying again. It was too late. There was nothing he could do but witness their end, their dying screams echoing hollowly in his ears._

* * *

Rey was left gasping for breath as her eyes connected with Ben's in shock. He stared at her broodingly, his eyes as dark as melting chocolate. "You weren't responsible for the destruction of the temple. You tried to save them…"

Ben laughed bitterly. "You have no idea what I've been accused of." He climbed slowly to his feet, emotionally and physically exhausted from his horrifying trip back into past. He leaned against the interrogation chair for support, watching as Rey pushed herself back onto her feet. His fingers itched to help her, but somehow, he was afraid of even the slightest physical contact between them. It could open up another can of worms he wasn't ready to deal with.

Rey took another deep breath. She could feel the clock ticking in her head. Time was against them. "We need to go."

"Go where?" Ben wiped his glistening skin with the back of his gloved hand. He was tired, so tired. This girl- this wilful, intriguing, beautiful girl-had turned his carefully ordered world upside down in a matter of hours. His caught a glimpse of his black mask lying abandoned on the floor and frowned. It had been flung from its perch during the chaos surrounding their mental battle.

Rey caught him looking at it and she became angry. The damn mask was a symbol of everything she didn't want him to be. In anger her arm shot out. With fingers extended she levitated the hated thing, twisting those same fingers as she mentally crushed it between them in a tight fist. The mask shattered, shards of it raining down on both of them.

"You don't need it anymore." She stated harshly. "Its time to go."

* * *

Ben kept his distance from Rey as he followed her out of the interrogation room. He didn't feel in control of anything and the feeling was making him giddy. She was like the sun and he was the moon orbiting in her wake. They traversed the dark corridors, the overhead lights guiding them onward. Rey walked with purpose; she knew exactly where they needed to go. Often, she glanced behind her to make sure he was still there, she could feel him, but she needed her eyes to reassure her that it was true.

They passed stormtroopers, and other personnel, all gave way immediately when crossing paths with the mighty Kylo Ren as he floated like a ghost right past them. No one took notice of the petite girl striding in front of him. His reputation alone kept them safe from any prying questions.

Ben was actually lost in his own head. He was convinced he was dreaming. That eventually he would wake from this trippy dream and find himself back in his quarters, alone and fighting the ever-present demons in his head. Those demons had been his constant companions his whole life-whispering their dark thoughts, convincing him to give in to the darkness growing inside him. But right now, those demons were asleep. He was at peace. His head was clear and he could think.

"We're here." Rey's gentle voice pierced the bubble of his chaotic thoughts.

Ben's eyes widened in surprise. His heart clinched in his chest and his stomach rolled. It was like he had walked right into the nightmare Rey had shown him, the one where he had killed Han Solo. He was standing on the same metal bridge, it seemed to extend into the middle of nowhere, going endlessly on and on.

"Why have you brought me here?" He said in a strangled voice.

"Ben, its okay." Rey saw the sudden distress on his face, the way his tortured eyes kept flicking from her to the metal bridge. She could have kicked herself; she should have warned him that this was where they were headed, prepared him enough so he could face the reality behind the nightmare. But he had been following her so docilely ever since leaving the interrogation room that she hadn't wanted to disturb his quiet train of thought.

Ben stared and stared at her. He felt unsteady on her feet. He reached out to Rey. She extended her own hand toward him. Their fingers connected, making them both tremble with a fierce yearning.

"BEN!"

Han Solo's voice seemed to come out of nowhere. Ben lost contact with Rey, the shock of seeing his father in the flesh sending him spiralling.

"Ben." Han said again as he strode down the walkway toward him. "Let her go, son."

Ben's soul shattered as he heard the fear in his father's voice. "You see." He told Rey, the bitterness creeping into his tone again. "This is why its too late."

"Ben, its not." Rey cried desperately. "He doesn't understand."

"Ben, please, take me hostage instead." Han Solo called out desperately. "Let the girl go."

Rey whirled around, putting herself in-between Ben and his father. She looked pleadingly in Han's direction. "You've got it wrong." She yelled at Han. "Tell him, Ben." She pleaded. "Tell him!"

Ben remained silent, his dark eyes vivid with pain and hurt. "Nothing has changed. I was a fool to let you convince me otherwise."

"NO!" Rey wanted to beat her clenched fists on his chest. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. If he wouldn't listen to her words, she would have to try another way.

"Rey, be careful" Han cried as he watched in fearful disbelief as she grabbed his son's face in between her hands and pulled his head down toward hers. What the hell was she thinking? He glanced up to one of the ledges high above him. He saw Chewie placing the last of the bombs into place. On the opposite side he noticed one of the hatch doors open. A figure appeared. Was that Finn? Confused, Han tried to attract Finn's attention, but the guy's gaze was fixated on Ben and Rey. From his high perch, all Finn could see was Kylo Ren standing threateningly near Rey. His first thought was to blow the guy out of existence and save her.

Han saw his intentions. He waved his arms frantically above his head trying to get Finn's attention. "NO!"

Ben and Rey were too lost in each other to notice what was going on around them. With their force bond flowing true between them, Rey reached for Ben's face. If her words couldn't convince him, then her actions would.

"You're not alone." She breathed as her lips connected with his in a gentle kiss of longing.

From high above Finn fired, aiming straight for Ben's heart. The blast hit Ben square in the chest, sending him tumbling out of Rey's arms and over the edge of the bridge.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Four-The Harsh Truth**

The pain that once burned like fire faded away into an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of Ben's vision and the only thing he could hear was his own heartbeat. His breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. He remained suspended in mid-air, hovering on the edge of unconsciousness. Seconds passed as he lay there, then he heard voices.

Suddenly he felt his body rising, rising so fast that it felt like he was flying. His body was now level with the bridge. He saw the scavenger girl, Rey, with her hazel eyes narrowed in fierce concentration, arm outstretched in front of her as she used the power of the force to bring him closer. He saw Han Solo, his lined face awash with anguish as he stood tensely by Rey's side, watching as the girl exerted all her strength in an effort to save him.

If he could, Ben would have laughed. Surely, they could tell it was too late for him to be saved, yet they were like children, naïve to the darkness of the real world. The despair and suffering of that world had taken everyone who purported to love him, away. Ben just wanted to leave all of the pain behind. He couldn't bear to look at his father. Han Solo had abandoned him when he needed him the most, had not put up a fight when Leia had sent him away to be trained by Luke. He had never wanted to carry on the great Skywalker legacy, his dream had been to be a pilot like his father. But that dream had been denied him when they pegged him as evil. After the temple had been destroyed and he had been blamed for it, he had been left with nowhere to go but Snoke.

Ben closed his eyes. He would die happily now. It would be a thankful release from fighting the dark and light within him. His fragile human heart beat one last time….

* * *

The thing about life is, it pushes you until you break just to see if you can put yourself back together. Ben opened his eyes to a sea of white. He blinked a few times, trying to get his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness. He was surrounded by soft murmurs. People were talking but he couldn't understand what they were saying. He tried to speak but his throat felt parched.

Then….

"_Ben." _

Ben sat up abruptly, his head spinning as he looked around wildly. A gentle hand pushed on his shoulder, guiding him to lay back down.

"_You'll feel disorientated for a while yet." _

"Mom?"

He was dreaming! He had to be. He hadn't heard Leia's voice for years. Someone touched his face in a loving caress. Ben could have cried. No one had touched him like that since he was a small boy.

"_I'm here, Ben. You're safe." _

Safe?

Where was here?

"I'm dead." He said through cracked lips.

"No, you're alive." Leia's voice was as warm as melted chocolate. "Please, Ben, look at me."

Ben didn't dare. He wanted to stay in this dream like state. This in-between place. It was safe. A place where he could enjoy the comfort of his mother's voice. A place where he could hide and believe that his parents loved him. A place where he was loved, wanted, needed.

"Ben."

This new voice was rougher, but no less tender for it.

"Dad?" Ben sucked in a shaky breath.

"Open your eyes, son."

There was no denying Han Solo's voice.

He had called him _son_.

Ben opened his eyes to find both his parents looking down at him. The loathing and the fear he was used to seeing on their faces was missing. Instead all he saw was tenderness and affection. Leia was still caressing his cheek with the rough pads of her fingers, a soft smile lighting up her face.

"We so nearly lost you." She whispered.

As he basked in the love of his parents, Ben realised in that moment that life is an undiscovered galaxy, with millions of stars waiting to meet you, friends out there you've never met, new cultures, new beginnings, new life.

He felt reborn again.

Kylo Ren was dead.

Ben Solo was alive.

The voices in his head had gone quiet. And he was at peace.

* * *

Ben stared into the face of the girl who had saved him.

"I'm just Rey." She had said, introducing herself all over again.

As if he could ever forget her. The memory of how she had brought him back to life was hazy. No one seemed willing to explain it him, least of all the girl who had risked everything to bring him back into the light.

"Tell me about you." Ben didn't even recognise the sound of his own voice. He swallowed a few times.

"I'm the scavenger girl, remember." Rey's smile didn't reach her eyes.

Ben shook his head. "You're no scavenger." He watched as she ducked her head in an effort to hide her expression from him. She was acting like she was ashamed of herself. He didn't understand why.

"I'm from Jakku."

"You're a Jedi." Ben murmured.

"They told me it might take a while for your memories to come back properly." Rey drew in a deep breath to give herself courage. "I already told you once who I am."

Ben frowned. Why was she acting so scared? He hated seeing that expression on her face. It didn't suit her. She was beautiful. She was his savour. Why was she so sad? "Tell me again." He asked.

Rey sighed and avoided making eye contact with him. She had shared nothing with the others. As far as they were concerned, she was still Rey from nowhere. A foundling left abandoned on the dessert planet, Jakku. A scavenger. Nobody special. She wanted to lie to Ben, to deny the truth of her heritage. But she had already told him once, when his memories came back, he would know anyway.

"My father was the son of the emperor." She lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Palpatine?" Ben said incredulously.

Rey jerked her head sharply. "Yes." She hated admitting it out loud. It made her feel dirty. Tainted somehow. "You're the only one I've told because you need to know. Darth Sidious is alive, Ben. He has been manipulating everything and everyone…. mostly you. I think he was behind the destruction of the temple. He made Snoke."

Ben flinched as if she had slapped him.

"We struck a blow against him and the First Order today by destroying the Starkiller base." Rey took another deep breath. "Things are already changing, Ben." She looked right at him suddenly, her hazel eyes blazing with an inner fire that ignited his own. "It's all changing for the better. I know where Darth Sidious is. I plan to go there and destroy him. But first we have to deal with…"

"Snoke." Ben said bitterly, frowning. "That is on me. I'm going to _kill _him."

"Ben, you can't. Its not safe."

"It has to be me. No one else can get close to him." Ben continued defiantly.

"Ben…"

"You don't trust me?" He demanded sharply when she hesitated. The thought that she didn't trust him hurt like hell.

"Its not a matter of trust. I know you can do it. You've done it before." Rey confessed.

Ben was breathless with surprise. "If I killed him then why…"

"I can't tell you that."

"Why not?" Ben studied her face. She had gone considerably pale, closing her eyes as she looked away from him. "What did I do?"

"Its different this time. You're different."

"What. Did. I. Do?" He ground each word out like venom.

Rey met his eyes again in despair. "You took his place. You became the Supreme Leader."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed, favourited and followed this story!**_

**Chapter Five-Confronting the Fear**

He had been the Supreme Leader.

He had all the power in his hands.

What had he done with it?

He stared at Rey, noticing every little detail in the changing expressions on her pretty face. Right now, there was a slight frown line drawn down between her fine brows. She was anxious, worried, scared that the information she had dumped on him would provoke a reaction in him she wasn't prepared for.

"You're afraid." He said hoarsely. "I can feel it."

"Yes, I am." Rey admitted.

"Of me?" That thought hurt. He choked on it.

"Not of you. Never of you." She sounded so sure, so certain that Ben wanted so badly to believe her. She reached out to him, her fingers outstretched, then she seemed to change her mind and her hand dropped back to her side.

"Then of what?" Ben's dark eyes roamed her face, seeking an explanation, seeking something. Trust? Compassion? Something more powerful, something he craved, but didn't want to voice aloud.

_Love_…the traitorous voice whispered in his head.

Ben lowered his eyes to his hands. They were shaking. He clasped them together, frustrated with himself. Scared to actually believe that anyone would ever have that kind of feeling for him. But how he longed for it. Yearned to see that kind of look in this girl's hazel eyes.

"Ben." Rey whispered. "Look at me…please?"

_She was still calling him Ben._

Ben raised his head and drew in a deep breath. He saw tenderness where he expected pity. His tension eased and he finally relaxed enough that her liquid gaze drew a small smile from him. The sensation felt foreign to him. When had he last smiled? Never? There were so many crazy thoughts ricocheting around his head that he struggled to contain them. All of this still felt like some surreal dream. He still expected to wake up and find Hux's pasty face staring at him with his usual loathing.

Hux?

Ben shook his head to keep it clear from the memories of his life under the yoke of the First Order, under Snoke. He wanted to hold on to this pure moment with this girl. He didn't want it tainted by anything to do with Kylo Ren.

"I'm Ben Solo." He said aloud.

Rey was startled by this firm proclamation, but the determined tone in his voice provoked a smile out of her which matched his. "Yes, you are."

"Then trust that I can kill Snoke and stay Ben Solo." Ben leaned forward and held out his hand toward her. "Or better still we could do it together."

Rey stared at his hand. She had to quickly remind herself that this was Ben offering her his hand, not Kylo. She wanted to take it so badly, but she feared what any kind of physical contact would do to both of them. She had mentioned the dyad to him, but wasn't sure he understood the significance of it yet. His memories were still hazy about everything that had already gone down between them since the interrogation room on Starkiller base when she had forced his bleak future on him.

Ben's resolve began to waver. He lowered his hand, it fell to his side limply, the last vestiges of his smile leaving his face in shadow. "I get it." He said dully. "What do you want from me?"

Frustration welled up inside Rey. She was so tired of the constant misunderstandings. She wanted to shake Ben out of his melancholy. It was his aloneness that made him vulnerable to the dark voices in his head. He may be here with her, with his family and the resistance, but Snoke was still alive to manipulate the usual doubts in his head. Palpatine was still pulling the strings, twisting everything in his efforts to pull Ben back into the dark, and her right along with him.

"I want you to face your fears, Ben. I want you to let go of your anger. Your resentment toward those you think failed you will end up poisoning your soul. Until you do, your fears will always win. Until you let them go, you'll never believe you're worthy."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" Ben said sarcastically.

"You need to confront Luke Skywalker." Rey said softly. "Until you do, you'll never find peace."

* * *

"My biggest regret was sending you away to Luke." Leia's tone was thick with regret. "Its where I lost you and your father."

Ben gazed down at his mother's lined face. Never would he have expected to hear those words from her. Her indomitable spirit never let her second guess her decisions or express regret when she was found wanting. A lifetime spent at war, with only a few instances of peace, had never allowed her the time to reflect on anything, only focus on the next battle plan.

"It's alright, Leia." Han came up behind her and put his hand on her shoulder.

In a rare moment of weakness, Leia put her hand over Han's, her eyes closing wearily as she accepted his attempt to comfort her. Ben watched his parents warily- united for once- while battling with his own need to comfort his mother and tell her he didn't blame her for the decision she made to palm him off on her brother, ignoring what he himself wanted. The problem was he did blame her for not loving him enough to want him to stay, for not seeing the frightened boy beneath the darkness she had convinced herself was growing inside him. She had put her duties before her son and he wasn't sure he would ever forgive her for that.

_As for Han…_

Ben frowned as his eyes left his mother's face and travelled to his father's. He had idolised Han Solo when he was a young boy. He wanted to be just like him, to become the best damn pilot in the galaxy. He even dressed like him, tried to imitate his manner-the way he walked, his brash way of talking, his nonchalant, fly by the seat of his pants approach to life. But his inner demons had been plaguing him since the day he was born. It was an act and his parents had seen right through it.

It was Han who used to be the one comforting him when he woke from yet another screaming nightmare. He never did sleep well. Han would hold him, offering his unique brand of comfort. But when he grew his father seemed to become afraid of him. Han's fracturing relationship with Leia only increased the division between father and son. Han began to spend longer and longer periods of time away from home, and when he was home, he avoided spending much time with his son. Then Leia sent him away to Luke and Ben never saw his father again.

_And now here they all were…._

"Forgive me, Ben." Leia seemed to sense the mournful thoughts that continued to plague him. She let go of Han's hand and reached for his face. Ben allowed her to caress his cheek, though he avoided looking directly at her. "I can't change the past-only apologise for it-but I can change the future. I want my son back. I need you to know I never stopped loving you and wanting you to come home."

"What she said." Han said with a half-smile. He reached out and put his hand on Ben's shoulder. "I love you, son." He continued, looking Ben directly in the eyes. "I want you to hold on to that when you see Luke."

Ben's eyes were filling up. He was convinced this was a dream. He was going to wake up at any moment. He looked around the room, seeking Rey, needing her reassurance. But she wasn't there.

* * *

Rey was having her own confrontation with Finn. She packed her gear steadily, avoiding looking at him directly. Part of her was still angry with him for firing that shot at Ben, even though deep down she knew he had done it for her sake, thinking that Ben was about to attack her. Factoring in his own dark experiences serving the First Order as one of their stormtroopers, she couldn't blame him for taking a shot at Kylo Ren.

"I can't believe you're going off with him!" Finn ground out in frustration. His dark brown eyes were like melting chocolate as he looked at her. "He's dangerous. You know he is. I can't believe he's fooling everybody so easily…"

Rey grimaced as she hauled her bag over her shoulder and reached for her staff. Luke's lightsaber swung from her belt as she moved. "Are you calling me a fool, Finn? Leia and Han, too?"

"That's not what I'm saying." Finn answered irritably. "I served under the guy, remember? I know what he's capable of." He frowned heavily, getting in Rey's path as she tried to pass him. "You shouldn't go off with him alone. Take me with you to Ahch-to to find Luke Skywalker instead of him. I'm the only one who knows you, Rey."

"You think you know me, but no one does." Rey retorted despairingly.

_Only Ben._

She shook this thought from her head. She knew Finn's offer came from a good place. He was her friend, her best friend. She had spent so long surviving on her own that it still felt odd to her to rely on anyone. Finn was one of the few she had really let in.

"I'm sorry, Finn." Rey apologised after a moment. She could see she had hurt him. "I understand your concerns and I promise I'll be on my guard. I won't be alone with Ben. Chewie's coming, too. And R2."

"Why not Han?" Finn demanded.

"It would put too much pressure on Ben…"

"So, he's Ben now?" Finn cut in sarcastically.

Rey scowled at him. "You'll never get it." She muttered defensively.

"Then explain it to me." Finn caught her by the shoulders and turned her toward him. He gazed at her imploringly, his dark brown eyes roaming her lovely face.

"I can't." Rey whispered sadly. Tears filled her eyes as she threw her arms around him and hugged him quickly. Finn's strong arms were just about to wind around her when she stepped away from him. "I'll see you soon." She promised, before turning and walking away from him.

* * *

Rey saw Chewbacca waiting on the opened ramp of the Millennium Falcon. He stood up when she approached him; his legendary bowcaster was flung over his shoulder. The seven-foot-tall Wookiee warrior greeted Rey with an impatient growl.

"I'm ready." Rey promised him. "Is Ben already on board?"

Chewie shook his head and instead motioned behind her. Rey frowned, spinning on her heel to find Ben striding confidently towards her, but it wasn't a Ben she recognised. A small gasp left her mouth and she couldn't help but stare at him. She was so used to seeing him dressed all in black that it threw her seeing him with a more casual look. He was dressed more like Han now-he wore a tan leather jacket, with a dark blue long-sleeved shirt underneath which hugged his upper torso snugly. His dark pants had a leather holster slung around the waist, holding one of his father's blasters. His saber had been lost on Starkiller base. His black hair brushed his shoulders slightly and he ran his fingers through it when he caught her staring at him.

"What?" He demanded.

Rey felt a wave of heat wash over her at being caught staring. Embarrassed, she concentrated on a spot over his shoulder. "You're late." She muttered hastily to cover up her mortification.

Ben looked at her oddly, before shrugging. "I'm here now. Let's go."

"Yes…lets go." Rey echoed him as she hastened up the ramp ahead of him.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Our girl lost her cool for a moment there, LOL **_


	6. Chapter 6

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Six-Ben and Luke**

Ben never expected to be piloting the Falcon again. He sat in the co-pilots seat next to Rey, feeling slightly overwhelmed at how familiar everything still seemed. His fingers traced the controls from memory. It was all still the same. The ship's shabby outer appearance disguised the technical modifications Han and Chewie had made inside. He remembered Han bragging to him as a young child that the Falcon had made the Kessel run in less than twelve parsecs. He'd modified the navigation system to get through hyperspace in the shortest possible distance.

"Did Han Solo ever tell you how he came to own the Millennium Falcon?" He said to Rey gruffly.

Rey seemed startled that he was addressing her. She was gazing broodingly at a pair of dice which hung from the Falcon's cockpit.

"Those are Han's." Ben told her.

"I know." Rey mumbled. She hardly wanted to remind Ben about the significance of them. She cleared her throat and tried to concentrate on what he was saying. "I don't think Han ever told me." He could have done but she was struggling to remember.

"Han won the Falcon from a guy called Lando Calrissian in the card game sabacc." Ben explained. His throat tightened as he recalled how he had idolised Lando almost as much as his father when he was a kid.

It was one of the many memories he'd been forced to bury when he took on the persona of Kylo Ren. Ben hung his head and fell silent. He was regretting agreeing to this mission. Reuniting with his parents was one thing; Luke was a whole other ballgame. The anger he still felt toward his Uncle wouldn't go away so easily. Luke had been his mentor, his guide in learning the ways of the force. He had trusted him implicitly until the night he had awoken to find Luke standing over him with a raised lightsaber. His hands unconsciously curled into fists on the console.

"Ben…just breathe." Rey's soft voice pierced his troubled thoughts. She could feel his anger through their bond. It frightened her. It was his anger, his building frustration that had helped lead him down his dark path. He had to learn to control it. To utilise that anger in a good way, not let it consume him like he had in the past. "You're not alone." She promised him, her hand hovering above one of his.

_You're not alone…._

The familiarity of the words stirred something inside of Ben. His clenched fists slowly relaxed and he raised his head to look at her. "You said those words to me before."

"Actually, it was you who said them to me." Rey corrected him gently.

Their gazes locked for an infinitesimal period of time. Words, thoughts, feelings flowed between them without either of them opening their mouths. Ben was seeing flashes of images he didn't understand. Rey was struggling to keep her past experiences with him locked down and under control. She was like an open book and he was the reader, soaking in everything like a sponge.

"_You're not alone." _

_Ben heard himself saying the words just the way she described._

"_Neither are you." _

_There was a slight tremor in Rey's voice as she answered him._

_Then Ben saw their hands. Rey was reaching out to him. He had slipped off his glove and was reaching for her in turn. Their arms extended toward each other, closer, closer, trying to bridge an unreachable distance. He was mesmerised by the image, his whole focus on the very second their fingers touched…._

Then the image vanished as Rey finally locked down her emotions and bolted the past in a secret vault in her mind. "We need to go." She said hastily.

"What was that?" Ben demanded.

"It was nothing." Rey said more firmly. "Its time to go. Chewie, have you finished the flight checks?"

Chewbacca's loud roar of agreement echoed from the deep confines of the ship.

"Are you ready?" Rey asked, her shoulders relaxing as she did her own final checks.

Ben sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get anymore answers from her right now. "I'm ready." He muttered, settling back in his own seat.

* * *

Ahch-to was an unchartered world located deep in the galaxy's Unknown Regions. It was the world where the Jedi order was founded, and its sacred island was the site of the first Jedi temple. Luke Skywalker had discovered the lost world after a long search, and chose it as his place of exile.

Ben felt the tension creeping up on him again the closer they drew to the desolate planet. He didn't want to admit it but he was afraid to see Luke again. The whole point of this mission was to confront his fears, to finally put the past to rest. Rey was convinced that this would work. Ben was thinking the exact opposite.

"I can't do this." He admitted as Rey initiated the landing sequence.

She glanced at him; her hazel eyes filled with concern. She could sense his internal struggle-even if she understood his ambivalence-she more than anyone knew that hiding from the truth did nothing but hold you back. She had hidden herself away on Jakku for that very reason, waiting for her parents to come back and claim her, when deep down she already knew they were dead.

"You can do this, Ben." Rey promised him. "You're stronger than you know. You're not alone. I'm with you."

Ben met her gaze and held it. "Why do you believe in me so much?"

A small smile played about her lips. "I see the real you."

Her answer surprised and shocked him in equal measure. She sounded so sincere, so earnest that it made his heart palpitate faster in his chest. "You see me?"

Rey extended a hand toward him, but seemed to catch herself, shaking her head. "You need to prepare yourself." She said, changing the subject.

Ben wished he could understand why she was kept withdrawing from him. He tried to capture her gaze again, wanting to drown in those incredibly beautiful eyes of hers. But to his intense frustration Rey avoided looking at him directly again.

* * *

From space Ahch-to appeared to be a world of nothing but deep oceans orbiting twin stars. Dotting the oceans were rocky island archipelagos covered with green trees and grass. This is where Rey directed the Falcon, heading for the one known as Temple Island. The island was dotted with Jedi ruins.

"How did Skywalker find this place?" Ben asked as they landed the Falcon on a wide rocky promontory.

"Why don't you ask him that yourself?" Rey pulled her headset off and climbed out of her seat. Reaching for her quarterstaff, she activated the ramp.

Ben scowled. "You think Skywalker and I are going to just sit down and have a congenial chat to air out our issues?" He spat sarcastically. "The man tried to kill me!"

Rey suddenly whirled around, whacking him on the shin with her quarterstaff.

"What did you do that for?" Ben demanded as he rubbed his smarting skin.

"To make you focus. Anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering." Rey lectured him.

"Are you seriously quoting Master Yoda at me now?" Ben sneered.

"He spoke the truth. You will suffer if you continue to hold onto the hate you feel toward Luke. I don't want you to suffer anymore, Ben." Rey felt moisture welling in her eyes and she quickly turned away, hoping that he hadn't noticed.

_But he had…_

"I'm sorry, Rey." Ben felt shame wash away some of his anger. He didn't want to take it out on her. She didn't deserve it. And she was right. He had come here to confront his uncle, not to fight him.

Rey sucked in a deep breath and nodded. The truth was she was scared of what Luke Skywalker's reaction was going to be when he saw his nephew. Luke had shut himself off from the force, so he wouldn't have any prior warning that they were coming. She remembered his hostile reaction when she had first disturbed his place of sanctuary. It had been days before he had been prepared to hear her out.

"Luke is not the man you remember." She said, trying to prepare Ben. "He's older, bitter…you need to keep your own emotions in check if this even has a chance of working."

"Fine." Ben's jaw tensed as he took the lead and strode past her.

Rey looked up at the blue skies above. She wasn't fooled by them. From prior experience she knew the calm weather could turn wild in an instant. In the distance she could already see black storm clouds forming. Glancing behind her she saw Chewie looking at the same spot on the horizon.

"Are you coming?" She asked hopefully.

Chewbacca let out a soft growl. It could almost be construed as affection. Reassured, Rey smiled as the giant Wookie joined her. Walking down the ramp together they followed in Ben's wake as they began the search for Luke.

* * *

Left deeply affected and mentally broken by what he believed to be his ultimate failure, Luke had lost faith in the force, and the vision of the Jedi for having failed to rebuild the Jedi Order. Luke believed he had failed to protect his students, and also failed to protect his own flesh and blood from his family's dark legacy. He had fled into self-imposed exile, vanishing from the galaxy at large without a trace, while his past exploits turned into stuff of legends.

His day had started like any other. He had gotten up early, foraged for food and water, before spending a number of hours sitting on his favourite rocky outcrop in quiet contemplation, redoubling his efforts to block the force, even though it demanded every moment to be heard.

When the group found Luke he was standing, staring out toward the horizon. His back was to them. His bitter thoughts had been plaguing him more than usual. He was reflecting that his efforts to block the Force was becoming impossible. In that moment, the old Jedi Master felt that someone had found him. He quickly turned around, discovering Ben, Rey and Chewbacca standing behind him.

But in the shock of the moment it was only Ben that he saw. His nephew. Kylo Ren! The one who he believed had been responsible for the destruction of the Jedi temple and the death of his former students. Reacting in anger, the force found its way back to Luke. He instinctively called to his father's old weapon, the lightsaber which was hanging from Rey's belt. It flew into his hands and he quickly activated it, the humming of the plasma blade filling his ears as he held it aloft in a defensive stance.

"And there you have your answer." Ben said to Rey bitterly as he glared at his uncle.

"Ben!" Rey cried as he turned and walked away.

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you so much to everyone for reviewing this story. I really appreciate all the feedback. It helps to keep me motivated. **_

**Chapter Seven-Connection**

Ben stood in front of the ruins of the ancient Jedi temple. It was one of several constructed before the imperial era, and one of the few not demolished by the Galactic Empire. It was nothing but a tattered shell now. The temple had been worn away by wind and time. All that was left was a few broken mosaics depicting the first Jedi order and an ancient meditation ledge. The wind ruffled Ben's hair as he moved toward the ledge and settled down on it. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to contain the anger boiling up inside him like poison.

"Ben, please don't give into your anger."

Rey's whispered words from behind broke his concentration. Ben opened his eyes and glanced at her. "Do you blame me?"

"No, I don't blame you." Rey discarded her staff and knelt down in front of him so she could look at his face. What she saw pained her. Luke's actions had cut him deep, exposing the raw hurt underneath.

Ben wasn't expecting sympathy. He was so used to being seen as the bad guy, that it continued to surprise him when Rey empathised with him in any way. "He won't listen." He mumbled, turning away from her.

"He will…. eventually." Rey was remembering her own first encounter with Luke when she'd surprised him in his solitude. "It will take time." A small smile flickered across her face. "If you listen closely you can hear Chewie giving him a serve right now."

Ben's head whipped around when he heard the subtle humour in her tone. His dark brown eyes widened slightly as he strained his ears to hear above the constant roar of the ocean below them. Finally, the sound of Chewbacca's frustrated roars reached him and it made Ben's lips twitch in surprise at hearing the Wookie defending him. It was hard to hear Luke's answers, Chewie was drowning out any response.

"You have more people on your side than you realise." Rey's smile widened as she extended her hand toward him.

Ben's gaze locked with hers for a moment as he reached out toward her, intent on capturing her hand. But as his eager fingers almost connected with hers, another furious roar from Chewie made Rey whirl gracefully to her feet. Ben huffed out a frustrated breath at the intrusion and pushed himself to stand.

"We better go back before Chewie deafens all of us." Rey said quickly as she picked up her staff.

Ben grudgingly followed her, not willing to see his uncle again, and feeling the familiar bitterness rising up inside, turning his thoughts dark. He noticed Rey glancing behind her at him often, looking concerned. It was like she was so attuned to his moods that she could sense whenever he was struggling. He swallowed the fire burning in his throat and he nodded in an attempt to reassure her.

"_You're not alone." _

Her gentle voice whispered the words in his mind and Ben felt his body relax. He increased his pace until he was almost level with Rey. He was so close he would be able to capture her hand. He could almost envision feeling his fingers wrapping around hers, the urge to touch her was so strong, it was all consuming. He saw Rey glance his way again, and his breath hitched when he noticed the same longing on her face. Ben was so caught up in the moment he was unaware of Luke's approach.

Luke stopped short when he saw them together. His light grey robes flapped madly in the gusty wind; his greying shaggy hair swirled around his head. His eyes narrowed as he studied them warily. He could feel the force flowing between them, and it was greater, stronger, more powerful than anything he had ever felt before in his life.

"Stop!" He shouted gruffly, breaking their intense connection and sending it spiralling into the wild winds. Ben and Rey turned to face him at exactly the same moment, their shocked expressions mirroring each other to perfection. Rain began to spatter down on Luke's head as Ahch-to's changeable weather systems turned stormy. "You wanted to talk?" He yelled at Ben. "Then come with me and talk…"

Ben's jaw tightened at Luke's harsh tone. He was about to issue a retort when Rey beat him to it. "Maybe you would get somewhere if you acted more civilly." She snapped at Luke.

Luke's bushy brows turned down as he focused his attention on Rey. He studied her carefully, his mind mentally assessing her strengths and weaknesses. He couldn't figure out whether she was under his nephew's thrall or Ben was under hers. She was strong with the force. He could feel it flowing like a wild river toward him, shimmering with a light so bright, that he worried it hid the darkness beneath.

"And who are you?" He demanded.

"Rey."

"Rey who?"

"I'm just Rey." Rey murmured. She cast her eyes down, suddenly unable to look at him, worrying that he could already sense her cursed family connections.

Ben saw her struggle and it just added to the resentment he felt toward his uncle. Luke Skywalker had turned into a bitter old man during his self-imposed exile on the god-forsaken planet. "Leave her alone. You said you were prepared to talk. Let's talk."

Luke's frown deepened as he watched Rey turn away and walk toward the Falcon. She was slightly bowed as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Chewie followed behind, soon catching up with her with his longer strides. The Wookie was protective of her, it was obvious. As for Ben…

"Come with me." Luke said shortly as he took the lead and led a reluctant Ben toward his shabby hut.

It was dark inside, the tiny windows let in only a sliver of light. There was little furniture, other than a simple table, a single chair and a rattan mat decorating the floor.

"Sit." Luke muttered as he motioned toward the only chair.

"Maybe you should sit, old man." Ben fired back at him.

Luke scowled in response. "I'd prefer to stand."

"You think that will intimidate me!" Ben answered bitterly.

"No, you fool, I'd get a crick in my neck if I sat down and had to glare up at you the whole time. When did you get so damn tall?" Luke growled.

Surprised by Luke's attempt at humour, Ben sat down abruptly. His hands rested on his knees; his posture stiff as he stared at his uncle. His eyes flicked around the interior of the hut. It really was grim. Luke was living like a monk.

"I expect it's not the luxurious quarters you're used to, is it?" Luke's sarcastic response drew Ben's eyes back to him. "How is Snoke?"

Ben's hands curled into fists as he tried to contain his anger. So, they were back to this! "You were never going to listen, were you?"

"Oh, I listened!" Luke roared as he hiked up his robes in order not to trip over them. "Somehow you managed to fool Han and Leia into thinking that something inside you has changed. I even had Chewie jumping to your defence! As for that girl…" His eyes narrowed again. "Exactly what is her connection to you? She is strong with the force; I can feel it. I tried to read her but she is blocking me. Just like you are right now!"

The chair crashed to the floor as Ben rose to his feet, his chin quivering with repressed anger. "You are unbelievable! In your stubborn, righteous anger you still refuse to see- "

"See what exactly? You can't fool me, Kylo Ren!" Luke raged. "Every night I'm haunted by what you did. Every night I see the bodies of my students, lying dead on the ground, murdered by you…. the temple in flames!"

Ben's face turned bleak as he, too, relived that night. "Every night I'm haunted by the same thing. But in my nightmare, I see you standing over me with your raised lightsaber, ready to kill me… you were my uncle, my family, I trusted you!" He cried desolately. "I didn't kill them! They were my friends! A storm destroyed the temple-_not me!"_

Luke was taken aback by the onslaught of Ben's words. He shivered, his eyes widening in stunned silence as he let the truth of his nephew's words sink in. Ben was backing away from him, his chest heaving with every breath he took. His eyes were moist with unshed tears.

"Ben…" Luke faltered. He reached out a shaking hand toward his nephew, but Ben withdrew from him, spinning on his heel and running out of the door right into the eye of the storm.

* * *

Rey was engaged in a game of Dejarik with Chewie. She eyed the small holographic figures on the board, concentrating on her next move. R2 whirred and beeped as he watched them, trying to give Rey a subtle hint on how to beat the tempestuous Wookie. Chewbacca roared at the droid, sending R2 scuttling away.

A sudden wave of despair and anguish washed over Rey, sending her spiralling. She staggered to her feet, her heart palpitating loudly in her chest. "Ben." She murmured.

Chewie got up, ready to support her. But Rey pushed the protective Wookie away and ran off the ship, her boots pounding loudly down the ramp as she disappeared into the driving rain.

* * *

Rey found Ben standing in front of the ancient Jedi temple's ruins. In the rain, his luxuriously thick hair had become one with his face, the wet strands draped over the bone structure that drove her crazy. His expression was serious, brooding. Rey wondered fleetingly if Ben knew how crazy that made her, how it made her want to feel every inch of his skin. When she reached him, she moved in front of him, standing toe to toe.

"I want to be free of this pain!" He cried wretchedly.

Rey cried the tears he couldn't. They mingled with the rain droplets running down her cold cheeks. She longed to comfort him, to take away his pain. She hung her fingers on his belt, dragging him closer. Ben collapsed against her, burying his face into the curve of his shoulder, his hands flexing around her back. He gave a reduced groan. "I need you." He said into her hair. "I can't do this on my own."

"You'll never be alone." Rey promised him. "Not while you have me."

There is something heavenly about a kiss in the rain, a tender moment that just won't wait. It is that burst of love that is expressed, not caring if the water soaks through to chill the skin. It is a connection that shows the strength of feeling, the mutual need. It is rebellion against the elements. Ben and Rey felt every one of those emotions as they kissed in the rain. When their lips parted, Ben leaned closer until their foreheads were touching. God, he couldn't fight against the thoughts that were going through him. Her very smell was flooding his senses now…his lips brushed hers again, wanting, needing so much more than he could say.

"You're not alone." She murmured against his lips.

"Neither are you." He whispered back to her.

From his vantage point on top of the hill, Luke saw them kiss, he could feel the strength of the connection flowing between them and he began to wonder…

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you so much for reviewing this story. It is very much appreciated.**_

**Part Eight-Letting the Past Die**

Ben woke up to the sun shining on his face. He squinted, raising his hand to shield his eyes from the bright glare. He sat up, swallowing thickly. His throat felt dry, parched. Stretching slightly, he reached for his water bottle and upended the contents into his mouth. Feeling slightly better he pushed himself onto his feet, surveying the surrounding area. The rapid change in the weather on this remote planet constantly surprised him. The storm last night had battered the island, whipping the grey ocean into a frenzy, sending it smashing against the rocks. Now everything was calm, peaceful.

Once his eyes were used to the sun, he could see Rey standing on the meditation ledge in the distance. She held her quarterstaff in both hands, swinging it nimbly-first left, and then right-as she trained in the early morning sunshine. Her movements were so graceful that Ben was captivated. His fingers wandered to his lips as he remembered their kiss the night before in the rain. The memory sent them tingling and he found himself smiling. The sensation felt alien to him and left him breathless.

"Rough night?"

Luke's husky voice from behind wiped the small smile off Ben's face. He tensed, turning around to face his uncle. He didn't say anything, just matched Skywalker's stern expression as they glared at one another.

"I thought you would have gone by now." Luke continued when it became clear his nephew wasn't going to answer him. He was rewarded with another resentful stare from Ben. Luke's eyes slid from Ben's and focused on Rey instead. He watched as she twirled the long quarterstaff in her right hand, before gripping it tightly in both and taking a defence stance in front of her imaginary opponent. Her skilful movements reminded Luke too much of Ben's and it frightened him. He frowned heavily and looked at his nephew again. "Who trained the girl? You?"

Ben noticed the slight tremor in Luke's voice. It was just more salt to rub into his already festering wound. "Her name is Rey." He replied sharply. "And she's not my apprentice if that's what you're worried about."

"She's been trained by a master. If not you, then who?" Luke demanded again.

"Maybe you could try asking her." Ben shot back again, his anger boiling over again. How was is it that he and his uncle always seemed to bring out the worst in each other.

Luke scowled. "What do you want me from me, B…Ben?" He stumbled over his words and he cussed under his breath at his show of weakness. "Do you want my forgiveness? Is that it? Or do you want me to admit I failed you. That I failed everyone!"

"You really are nothing but a bitter old man." Ben seethed. His fingers twitched by his side. He could see Luke's old saber hanging from his belt. He could already feel his fingers wrapping around the hilt, the plasma blade bursting forth as he struck at his uncle.

"Yes, I can feel it!" Luke roared. "The darkness is still there, always simmering below the surface. It's the same darkness I saw in you the night the temple was destroyed."

"The same night you tried to murder me!" Ben screamed. He extended his hand and Luke's saber ripped from his belt and he was suddenly grasping it in his hands. The plasma blade erupted from the hilt, humming like a swarm of angry bees.

"STOP!" Rey cried.

Suddenly Luke and Ben found themselves flung to the ground. The lightsaber flew out of Ben's hand and right into Rey's. She raised it above both of them, her eyes tight with frustration, her voice dripping with disappointment.

"I am so sick of this!" She sobbed. The bright sun reflected off the tears shining in her hazel eyes, shaming both men into silence. "I am sick of the constant fighting. You are both going around in circles, giving into the constant cycle of hate. The past can't be changed, but you both have a chance to change the future. You're family. Remember that!"

Rey turned off the saber, flinging it to the ground at their feet, before walking away in defeat. Ben felt his guilt swamp him. He had let his anger consume him and rob him of all reason. He stared after Rey, his heart telling him to run after her and beg her forgiveness, the more rational part of his brain warning him to give her space. Breathing heavily, Ben pushed himself onto his feet and looked down at Luke who was still sprawled on the ground, watching him warily. Swallowing down his bitter feelings toward his uncle, Ben held out his hand toward him in order to aid him to rise. If Luke refused to take it, to show this one small infinitesimal bit of trust, then Ben instinctively knew they were done. It took the space of a few heartbeats but finally Luke reached out and took Ben's hand.

* * *

The heat from the campfire seemed to be sucked into the frigid air before ever reaching her frozen hands. Rey added more wood to chase off the cold. Since nightfall the planet's changeable weather systems had taken a turn for the worse. Rey poked at the wood with a long stick. The fire seemed to die a little as if unsure of itself, unready to devour the new offerings. It licked at the new wood like a nervous kitten and sent feeble sparks to die in the air.

"Rey." Ben whispered her name as he settled down beside her. He sighed when she refused to acknowledge him. "I'm sorry." He added, leaning down to add yet more fuel to the fire. With more wood the fire seemed to find its confidence and grew until the heat warmed them, the orange flames celebrating with their wild flickering dance. "Skywalker and I have come to an understanding." He explained. He still couldn't call his uncle by his first name.

"Which is?" Rey asked, her gaze still focused on the fire.

"He's agreed to come back to D'Qar with us and speak to Han and Leia." Ben said with difficulty. "I still can't forgive him like you want me to, Rey. Just like he can't forgive me. I'm sorry I gave into my anger. I can tell how much that scared you." He hung his head, his voice tight with remorse. "It scared me."

His candid confession pierced Rey's melancholy. She edged closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Ben sighed with relief. He dared to drape his arm across her slim shoulders, drawing her nearer.

"You're not the only one angry at your family." Rey whispered. "My parents abandoned me on Jakku. I know that they felt they had no choice, that leaving me in that desert wasteland was the best chance they had of keeping me safe from my grandfather. But, Ben, surely there had to be somewhere else they could have taken me." Her voice cracked on the last word. "They left me all alone to fend for myself. I had no one…."

Ben's arm tightened around her as she spoke. He could feel her pain. He shared it. Her pain was his pain.

"I waited for so long for them to come back. I convinced myself that they would. If BB8 hadn't literally dropped from the sky at my feet, I'd still be there waiting…." Her hands clenched together as she released her anguish in a quiet moan of despair.

"Rey." Ben whispered her name like a prayer. She turned her head into his chest and he kissed the top of her hair. Now he was the one comforting her. "I want to believe your parents were in such a state of desperation that they were left with no choice but to leave you there." He sighed, pausing for a few seconds. "Just hold on to the fact that they didn't leave you because they wanted to. They loved you, Rey."

Rey clutched at his shirt, her quiet sobs soaking the thin material. Ben held her as she cried, sensing she was upset because of more than bitter memories of her abandonment. Each day, each hour, minute, second that passed he felt their connection growing stronger, more powerful. He had felt alone his whole life, separate from everyone even when he'd been in a room full of people. Rey was the same. He imagined she lived behind a fake smile of happiness when she was around other people, always wanting to appear strong and in control, even when she was dying inside. He felt the same. As Kylo Ren he had led a life hidden behind a mask. Rey had stripped him of that mask, forcing him to confront himself and see the tortured man underneath. It was frightening, scary and he didn't think he was strong enough. But Rey believed he could overcome the abuses of his past and be a better person because of it. She made him want to believe it, too.

"You're not alone." He promised her. "Not while you've got me."

"I'm sorry." Rey mumbled as she sucked in a quavering breath. "I'm so sorry, Ben."

Ben looked at her, confused. "Why are you apologising?"

Streaming tears ran down her cheeks. Ben tried to wipe them away, but a few droplets remained, forgetting their way as their path was swept from beneath them by his gentle fingers. The tears blurred Rey's vision with waves of sadness she could no longer wash away. The salty release calmly flowed into her mouth so that she could taste her own sorrow.

Bitter. Unforgiving. Pain.

The pain of her cursed heritage. The bitter knowledge that it was her own grandfather who had led Ben down a tortured path into darkness. The unforgiving fact that she was a product of all the evil that her paternal grandfather had wrought on the world, on Ben, and on his family.

She could barely look Ben in the eyes, her shame sending her spiralling. She pushed away the comfort of his arms, firmly believing that she didn't deserve them. But as she moved, Ben moved with her. He wasn't going to let her go. Not now he'd found her.

"Hush." He murmured, rocking her in his arms.

"I hate that I'm related to him." Rey whispered despairingly. "I hate that he hurt you."

Nausea swirled in Ben's empty stomach. His head swam with half-formed regrets. His melancholy mood hung over him like a black cloud as he thought about Palpatine and the knowledge that he had been the monster plaguing him in his head since he was a child. Now he was holding that monster's granddaughter in his arms. His heart felt as if his blood had become heavy tar as it struggled to keep a steady beat. It pained him that Rey was taking on every wicked thing that Palpatine had ever done and was shouldering the blame herself just because of the blood flowing through her veins.

Ben pulled her face up to his and held her head in his hands. They stared at each other, talking without words. Their intense gazes battled each other, until tears arose, and they were both crying.

"Palpatine is nothing! He has no power over us anymore. But you… you are everything." Ben growled, tears rolling down with the same quietness as hers. He sighed, wiping his own tears away before he kissed her.

It was a full on, open mouthed kiss, hungry with want and desire. And he loved it. He loved the way her small body melted into his. The way their lips fit like two puzzle pieces. The way she relented when his fingers played with the loose strands of her hair, and the way he held her tighter and tighter. When they finally broke apart after what seemed like ages, they were both panting.

"Let the past die." He whispered, pressing his forehead against hers. "Kill it if you have to. Then it can't hurt us anymore. Promise me?"

"I promise." Rey mumbled as she closed her eyes and folded herself against him in relief.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Please review.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Nine-D'Qar**

Watching Luke's reunion with R2 was just another stab in the gut for Ben. His uncle showed more affection for a droid then he did for his own nephew. The irony wasn't lost on him. He wondered what it would be like to be raised in love and peace, to be taught to show grace and forgive. Instead all he had known was bitterness and hatred. The ones who were supposed to love him-his family-had thrown him away like garbage, none of them willing to see what was going on just below the surface. Ben knew his bitterness had grown with each passing year like a tumour, pushing on the side of him that was serene, that wanted to bathe in the light of a loving family, but instead enveloping him in toxic darkness.

"_We're supposed to be letting the past die, remember?"_ Rey's gentle voice invaded his mind, chasing away his troubled thoughts like leaves scattering in a strong wind. His shoulders relaxed and he turned to find her standing behind him, anxiety was radiating from every pore on her skin.

Ben didn't think he would ever get used to the way their minds connected, to the way they were able to communicate with each other in such an intimate fashion. After so long feeling alone and isolated, it was reassuring. "_I'm okay_." He projected back to her.

Rey raised her eyebrows, clearly not convinced. But she had learned not to push him. "Chewie and I've done all the flight checks. We're good to go." She said aloud for everyone's benefit.

Luke patted R2 on the head one last time and stood up. His Jedi robes swirled about his feet. He had abandoned the old grey ones once he had agreed to leave the island with them. His old saber hung from his belt. With his hair combed and his beard trimmed, he looked more like the man Ben used to know-younger, fresher.

"Being here is bringing back so many memories." Luke said as he touched the Falcon's flight console reverently. His eyes landed on Han's lucky dice and he reached out and flicked them with his fingers, sending them swaying. "We'll need all the luck we can get." He murmured.

Chewbacca roared his agreement as he roughly pushed Luke aside and sat down in one of the twin pilot seats. Luke actually smiled as he slapped the Wookie on the shoulder.

"It's good flying with you again, buddy." He joked.

Ben scowled in annoyance. Before Luke could sit down in the other seat, he strode over and beat him to it. "I'm co-piloting today." He muttered.

Luke frowned heavily, his good humour vanishing. "Like hell you are!"

"Like hell I am!" Ben retorted. "This is my father's ship. And I'm the best damn pilot in the galaxy!"

Luke's lips twitched. It was such a Han thing to say. He backed down and went to stand next to Rey. "Let's see what you've got."

Ben glared at his uncle, readily accepting the challenge "Ready, Chewie?" He muttered.

Chewbacca put on his headset and nodded. He flicked a few switches and the Millenium Falcon started to power up. Ben curled his fingers around the controls, feeling his way along the familiar console he had memorised since childhood. The rear blasters kicked off and the Falcon began to rise.

"_You've got this."_ Rey's voice echoed in his head. "_Just stay focused."_

Ben took a deep breath and glanced behind him, his dark brown eyes finding hers. He gave her a subtle nod, and she responded in kind.

"_Just don't blow the compressor."_ Rey reminded him inside his head as the Falcon cut through Ahch-to's chaotic atmosphere.

Ben fought the smile that was threatening to escape as he checked the co-ordinates one last time before Chewie flicked the switch that sent them into hyperspace.

* * *

The Falcon was hurtling along at a tremendous pace. Ben was in his element. Rey smiled as she watched him interact with Chewie, the two of them so in synch as they piloted the Falcon like the pros they were. Thankfully the compressor didn't blow, but with a ship as old as the Falcon, there were always going to be problems. Soon, Rey was forced to leave the bridge and descend into the bowels of the ship as she did some maintenance checks. The Falcon wasn't running at full capacity and she wanted to find out why.

"Need some help?" Luke's gruff voice made her turn around in surprise.

"Okay." Rey agreed cautiously. She was wondering why Luke was suddenly so eager to spend time in her company after avoiding her ever since they had invaded his solitude. She passed him a screwdriver. "Could you unscrew that panel there while I finish rewiring this."

Luke took the tool she passed to him and came to stand beside her. They worked in silence for a while. It wasn't a comfortable one, though. Rey could sense that Luke was building up to ask her something and she wasn't sure she would have the answers he was hoping to find.

"You've never mentioned your last name." Luke said eventually after he managed to yank the stubborn panel off.

"I don't have one." Rey muttered as she avoided looking at him directly.

Luke frowned. "Everyone has a last name."

"I don't." Rey mumbled.

"Are you a foundling?" Luke persisted.

"Not exactly." Rey pulled some wires out and inspected them carefully. One of them had shorted. The ends were all burned and exposed to the elements. She hunkered down and rooted around in the tool box for a replacement.

"Then you know who your parents are." Luke continued. He watched her shoulders stiffen and heard the slight hitch in her breathing. "What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything." Rey mumbled again.

"Yes, you are. I'm not a fool, Rey nobody." Luke snapped. "You are strong with the force. The strongest I've sensed since Ben. You can fight. Someone has taught you well. Was it your parents?"

"NO!" Rey blanched. She didn't want to talk about her parents. She didn't want to have to think about her cursed heritage.

"Then who taught you?" Luke demanded. "My nephew told me you're not his apprentice. When I first saw you together, I thought he might have you under some kind of thrall. But now I'm beginning to think it's the other way around. You seem to have an enormous amount of influence over him…."

"Leave her alone!" Ben's stormy voice echoed above them.

Luke and Rey looked up to find him leaning over the opened hatch above their heads. His eyes met Rey's and he swallowed down his anger. He leaned down further and held out his hand toward Rey. "It's time for a break." He said, softening his tone for her benefit.

"Thanks." Rey leapt up and caught his hand, swinging in mid-air for a moment before he pulled her easily up through the hatch and set her down beside him. "And thanks for rescuing me." She added. She knew he had deliberately interrupted them to stop Luke from interrogating her further. He must have sensed her distress through their force bond.

"You've done the same for me." Ben's hand lingered on her cheek. "Skywalker can be full on when he's desperate to get some answers."

They heard the heavy tread of Luke's boots as he climbed up the ladder the old-fashioned way. He wasn't happy at the interruption. He was a little breathless when he reached the top. "This is not over, young lady." He warned Rey.

Rey shook her head at Ben when he immediately jumped to her defence again. He scowled at his uncle, before turning on his heel and marching away in the direction of the cock-pit.

* * *

D'Qar was a verdant planet located in the Ileenium system of the Outer Rim Territories. The planet was the location of the of the headquarters of the resistance, the small military force formed by Senator Leia Organa to combat the growing threat of the First Order, a successor state to the Galactic Empire. That was where the Millennium Falcon was headed now.

Ben and Chewie skilfully landed the ship, setting it down just outside the hangar leading into the base. As the ship powered down Ben felt a rising panic in his chest. This was the first time in years he was going to be surrounded by his whole family. He wasn't sure how he was going to cope. He would also have to endure the hostility from the resistance fighters. They were extremely loyal to his mother, so Ben knew they wouldn't openly challenge him, but still it was going to be tense.

"I don't feel good about this." Ben confided to Rey as Chewie lowered the ramp.

"Just focus on staying calm. I think your return will be overshadowed by Luke's anyway. He's the hero they've been waiting to see." Rey didn't bother to hide the sarcasm in her tone. She noticed Luke frown in annoyance as he took the lead and walked down the ramp ahead of them, his arms opened wide to greet his sister and Han who were waiting for him at the bottom.

* * *

"It feels like a miracle that you're here." Leia said in wonder as her eyes swept over her twin. He had aged, just like she had, but the twinkle in his eye as he smiled down at her was all Luke.

"You've changed your hair." He teased lightly, referring to the elaborate coils she used to weave her luxuriantly thick hair into on either side of her head.

"I fancied a change." Leia smiled tiredly.

Luke bent down and kissed her on the cheek tenderly before his gaze travelled to Han standing by her side. "Hey, Han." He greeted him.

"Its been too long." Han's familiar mocking grin lit up his face as he took Luke's hand as if to shake it, before pulling him into a hug and slapping him on the back.

"Yes, it has. Far too long." Luke pulled back, taking a moment to look around the busy hangar. He noticed the many curious glances that the resistance fighters threw his way as they went about their tasks. He wondered what they were thinking, probably expecting something different to the grizzled old man hugging their intrepid leader. He sighed, his eyes drawn to Rey and Ben who were standing off to one side, they were whispering quietly together. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but he guessed it was about him. "I'm not the only one who's back from the dead." He muttered darkly as his gaze stayed on Ben.

"Please, Luke." Leia's voice was strained as she took his arm and led him forward. "It's a blessing he's come home."

"A blessing?" Luke replied bitterly. "I wouldn't call it that."

"Luke." Han rebuked him. "This isn't the time."

"When is?" Luke demanded. He hated upsetting his sister, but he couldn't sit back and just let their son hurt them all over again. He didn't trust Ben, and he couldn't understand why they were so determined to gloss over his past crimes so easily without reparation. "And the girl? Who is she?"

Han and Leia's faces relaxed when he mentioned Rey. "She was the one who saved Ben and helped bring him home." Leia said with a warm smile in Rey's direction. "Han knows her better."

"She's one of the good one's, Luke." Han assured him as he put a comforting hand on Leia's shoulder. "She risked everything to help destroy Starkiller base and rescued Ben when he got in trouble."

Luke's expression turned thoughtful as he followed Leia and Han further into the hangar. "Exactly what is her relationship with your son?" He probed, waiting out their reactions.

Han and Leia exchanged puzzled glances. "What do you mean?" Leia asked eventually. "They've only been acquainted for a short while."

"Kylo…Ben captured her." Han winced when he said this. His eyes flicked to his son. Ben seemed to sense him looking as he paused in his conversation with Rey and locked eyes with his father.

"I think you need to fill me in." Luke stated gruffly, putting an end to the staring contest. "Is there somewhere private we can talk?"

"We'll go to my quarters aboard the Raddus." Leia motioned toward one of the largest ships in the resistance fleet. A swarm of people surrounded it, busy putting away supplies as if getting ready to leave.

"You're abandoning this place." Luke guessed.

"Yes." Leia responded sadly. "It won't be long before there is another counter-attack from the First order. We want to be well on our way before they get here…"

"And?" Luke prompted her when she fell silent.

"They know Ben's missing." Han took over the conversation. "We intercepted their communications. Snoke has sent out his most trusted fighters to look for Ben. They're not sure whether he was injured when Starkiller base was destroyed or whether we're holding him captive."

"That's another reason why we're so eager to leave." Leia concluded quietly. "I won't let Snoke get his hands on my son again and poison his mind again." She vowed. "This time I will do everything in my power to protect him."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**A/N-a big thank you to everyone who reviewed this story!**

**Chapter Ten-A Quiet Acceptance**

Rey could see Finn hovering not too far away out of the corner of her eye. He had been in deep discussions with Poe for the last hour-the two of them giving Ben the evil eye from a distance. They were not happy that Ben was here, and were doing little to hide their hostility. The only reason they'd held back in verbalising that hostility was for Leia's sake. But Rey knew from past experience with Dameron that it wouldn't be long before he cracked, and either confronted Ben himself, or verbally expressed his misgivings to Leia in the vain hope she might actually listen to him.

At this stage in their acquaintance Rey recalled that she and Poe hardly knew each other. They had exchanged quick introductions, but that was the limit of their interactions. With Finn it was different. They had forged a deep friendship in the time they had been together-first on Jakku when they had come together because of BB8-which had only gotten deeper when they had encountered Han and Chewie when they had run into them by accident.

"_I'm not Resistance. I'm not a hero. I'm a stormtrooper. Like all of them, I was taken from a family I'll never know. And raised to do one thing. But my first battle, I made a choice. I wasn't gonna kill for them. So, I ran, right into you. And you looked at me like no one ever had. I was ashamed of what I was. But I'm done with the First Order. I'm never going back._"

Rey recalled Finn's impassioned plea when they had been on the planet Takodana, seeking Maz Kanata's help to deliver BB8 to the resistance. Before that he had claimed to be a part of the resistance. It had come as a shock when he'd confessed to being a former stormtrooper, but that didn't stop her admiring him any less. Now the friendship she'd shared with him was fractured. She sighed, remembering their last encounter before she left for Ahch-to with Ben. They hadn't parted on the best of terms.

"_Rey."_

She startled at the sound of Ben's concerned voice. She had been so lost in her own head she hadn't been aware he was trying to get her attention. They were sitting together on the opened ramp of the Falcon. She felt the back of his hand brush hers gently and she turned to look at him. Their faces were so close together she could feel the warmth exuding from his body. He was gazing at her intently, his eyes flicking to her lips for a few seconds, before meeting hers again. Rey could tell he wanted to kiss her again, just like he had on Ahch-to. She felt the same longing overwhelm her. Ben raised a hand to her cheek, whispering her name in that soft, tender way he had….

"Can we talk, Rey?" Finn's unexpected intrusion pulled them apart. His expression was stern, forbidding as he glared at Ben, before softening slightly when his eyes travelled to Rey. "In private?"

Ben's hand immediately clamped down on Rey's knee territorially. She could feel the tension in his fingers as he glared up at Finn, his mouth twisting into a scowl. "FN-2187!" He sneered. "We meet again."

"Ben!" Rey said in disgust as she shoved his hand away from her knee. "He goes by Finn now." She saw Finn smirk when she rushed to his defence, this only resulted in aggravating her further. "Stop it!" She scolded them like immature children. "Save the pissing contest for another time."

Ben glowered at her in annoyance, his cheeks flushing red. Finn's brows drew down as he swallowed down his resentment. "I didn't come over here for an argument. I just want to talk, Rey."

"Then talk." Rey folded her arms stubbornly across her chest.

Finn's jaw pulsed as he locked eyes with Rey. He was disappointed that she was making things so difficult. It was probably because she knew he was going to be questioning her about Ren's motives, to try and put doubts in her mind about Kylo's true intentions. He was so sure that the guy was using her, deliberately trying to separate her from her friends in to order gain some kind of advantage. Like Poe, he thought that Rey's compassion was blinding her to the truth, just like Han and Leia who were so desperate to believe that there was still good in their son.

"You really want to do this here?" Finn said, putting his hands on his hips.

"I don't want to do this at all." Rey replied wearily. "You just need to have faith that I know what I'm doing."

Ben was watching their interactions carefully. When FN-2187 had been under his command, he had hardly taken any notice of him. The only time he had consciously been aware of him was when he had gotten a hint of Finn's uneasiness during the raid on the village of Tuanul when the order had been given to the stormtrooper squadron to fire on the villagers harbouring the fugitive, Lor Tan Sekka, a former explorer and devout member of the Church of the Force, who held part of the map that would lead to the location of Luke Skywalker.

Ben hated the twinge of envy that clawed at his heart as he listened to them talk. They were close, her concern for Finn was obvious, as was her fear of losing one of the few friendships that she had managed to attain after living a lifetime alone. Even as he understood it-empathised even- Ben still couldn't stop his jealousy clouding his brain and turning his thoughts bitter.

"I don't understand you, Rey." Finn was shaking his head in frustration. "You know what he is!"

"Things are different. He's different." Rey felt her own frustration building. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. Finn didn't know what she knew, and there was no way she was going to be able to explain without sounding crazy. She had to careful. So much had changed already, one wrong move could ruin everything.

"You don't need to defend me, Rey." Ben cut in as he jumped to his feet. He shrugged his shoulders to try and ease the knots in his muscles. His glare matched Finn's as they sized each other up. "Instead of attacking her. Talk to me."

"You?" Finn responded cuttingly. "As if I would ever believe a word that comes out of your mouth! I don't trust you and I never will."

Rey could sense that Ben's temper was boiling over. Finn wasn't far behind him. She could almost smell the testosterone in the air. She looked pleadingly at Ben, begging him with her eyes to just walk away from this fight. It was one he wasn't going to win. It was going to take a hell of a long time before anyone from the resistance trusted him, if ever.

Ben could feel Rey's anxiety rolling off her in waves through their force bond. He sucked in a deep breath, his expression turning bleak as he nodded at her abruptly to show her, he understood, before turning away from her and Finn. He put some distance between them-enough that he couldn't hear the rest of their conversation-but still close enough to see Finn put his hand on Rey's shoulder and pull her into a comforting hug. It was when he saw her head rest against Finn's chest and her eyes close that he had to walk away before it broke him.

* * *

"Ben, we've been looking for you everywhere." Han found his son sitting alone in the Falcon's cockpit, staring moodily at the lucky dice he was twisting around and around in his left hand.

"Well you've found me." Ben muttered.

Han frowned as he settled in the co-pilots seat next to his son. Ben looked surly; an expression Han remembered seeing a lot on his son's face when he was young. It usually meant something was troubling him. Ben had always had difficulty sleeping. Some nights he and Leia would be awoken by Ben's cries as he was plagued by yet another nightmare. It was usually Han who comforted Ben. Leia's heavy workload meant she needed rest, and the constant disturbances from their son took a heavy toll on her.

"Talk to me." Han said gruffly. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

"You don't want to know." Ben mumbled. He rolled the dice around in his palm, loving the feel of their solid square shape under his fingers.

"I do." Han sat forward in his seat.

Ben raised his head and looked at Han properly for the first time. His father did seem sincere. He wasn't impatient like Ben remembered him being when he was younger. He appeared earnest in his desire to reconnect, to find some common ground. But as much as Ben wanted to spill his guts to his father, he wasn't ready. Like he had to earn others trust, they had to earn his.

"Where's Rey?" He said instead. "Is she still with FN…Finn?"

"Finn is helping Dameron load the last of the supplies. We'll be ready to leave soon. Rey's with your mother and Luke. They're worried about you." Han revealed.

Ben felt he could breathe again now that he knew that Rey wasn't with Finn anymore. He hated feeling jealous. He knew It was petty and wrong to feel that way. It was just hard to see her in the arms of another guy, even if it was just a friendly hug. It hurt. He missed it being just the two of them, off in their own little world where nothing could hurt them. He felt safer, more secure when they were alone.

"I can't imagine Skywalker is worried about me." He muttered sarcastically.

Han sighed heavily as he leaned back in his seat. He only knew the bare details of what had transpired between Luke and Ben. Leia had pressed Luke for details but he refused to elaborate. He had noted Rey's pensive expression when it was brought up. There was so much he didn't know. No one was talking and it was just adding to the tension.

"You remember the first lesson I taught you…that sometimes doing the right thing doesn't mean following a straight line?"

"I remember." Ben said quietly. He was wondering where his father was going with this trip down memory lane.

"Life never turns out how you expect, Ben. You can start out with the best intentions, but then life throws you a curveball and it sends you off course." Han sighed again, his gaze turning inward as he mulled over all the mistakes he'd made, all the regrets that he carried with him, his biggest one losing his son. "You needed me, Ben." He continued thickly. "You needed me….and I wasn't there enough. I let other things get in the way when you should have been my priority. You and your mother…" He paused again, breathing deeply through his nose as he tried to contain his emotions. "And I'm so sorry for that. I love you, son. You have to believe I never stopped loving and missing you every single day."

Ben's eyes glimmered with tears as he listened to Han express his deepest regrets and profess his love for him. He wanted to reach out to his father, but past hurts still held him back. When he was younger, he had strived so hard to be the person his parents and his conscience wanted him to be, but it would keep taunting him with his failures. Each time his own regrets emerged, he would diligently analyse them, hoping that this time they would be satisfied with his self-professed remorse, but they never were. Like an unforgiving spectre all his past actions would come back to haunt him all over again, continuing the same cycle of self-blame and torture.

"I want- "Ben's chin quivered as he failed to finish his sentence.

"I know, son." Han finished for him with a sad smile. "I know."

* * *

Ben found Rey waiting for him at the entrance to the hangar. It was dark outside; a chill wind was blowing, stirring the fine hairs around her face. She appeared lost and lonely standing by herself. Her gaze was directed at the horizon, her expression troubled.

"Hey." He said, coming up to stand beside her.

"We have to go, Ben." Rey said quietly. "We have to go now."

Ben nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of what they were going to have to do. After his emotional conversation with his father, the thought of leaving made him feel sick. "I know what I have to do…I just don't know if I have the strength to do it."

"You do." Rey whispered. "You're not alone. I'll help you."

They stared into each other's eyes for a long time, until tears arose, and they found themselves crying.

"You'll stand with me, Rey?" Ben's breath hitched. He sighed, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand.

Rey kissed him and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, the way that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. Rey ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel his heart beating against her chest.

Their lips parted and their eyes met again, both filled with sorrow, but also now a quiet acceptance. It was time to leave and follow through with their plan to kill Snoke.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	11. Chapter 11

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**

**Chapter Eleven-Bitter Words**

Rey shut down the holo-message that she and Ben had recorded for Han and Leia. "We'll transmit it to them once we've reached Snoke's ship."

When Ben didn't immediately respond, she turned to look at him, sensing something was bothering him. She could tell through their bond that he was trying to conceal his feelings from her, but he wasn't being entirely successful. She found him staring down at the clothes he'd been wearing the day Finn had shot him on Starkiller base. They were Kylo Ren's clothes. The black tunic was still caked with his dried blood. There was even a hole in the material right where the blaster had hit him.

"Ben, I'm sorry." Rey apologised as she came to stand beside him. In her haste to be gone before any of the resistance fighters became aware of their plan, she hadn't given it a thought to how much putting on his old robes would strip Ben of his agency.

"Its just a uniform." Ben muttered. "It's no big deal."

"You don't have to hide your feelings, Ben." Rey reminded him. She captured his face in her hands and made him look into her hazel eyes. "Not from me."

"They'll think I've taken you hostage when they find out we're gone." Ben whispered. His dark eyes were haunted as he gazed at Rey's lovely face. "They'll think I betrayed them again, that this was my plan all along-to come here, regain their trust and run back to Snoke with enough intelligence to destroy them. It will prove to Skywalker he was right all along- "

"I would give anything to tell Han and Leia the truth, but you know as well as I do, they would never let you go." Rey caressed his face with gentle fingers, trying her best to soothe his cares away. "They don't want to risk losing you again."

Ben wanted to believe she was right, but it didn't stop the hurt festering in his chest that his parents would think badly of him again. It would kill Han and Leia to realise all the love they had invested in him, their faith and belief that there had always been light inside him, would be shattered all over again. They had clung to this notion, especially Leia. Despite all the bad things they thought he had done, they had welcomed him home, surrounding him with unconditional love. After feeling worthless and unloved his whole life, Ben didn't want to lose that. He could imagine his uncle saying _I told you_ _so_ to his parents, justifying his past actions to himself when he'd raised his weapon against Ben after experiencing the force vision of his possible future, and the evil he would wrought upon the world.

Ben's despair was rolling off him in waves, even as he tried to shield her from the worst of it. She only had to look at his face to see it-his quivering chin, the slight tension in his jaw, the bleakness in his dark eyes. Guilt sent her heart racing as she began to regret her hasty decision to leave under cover of darkness.

The future is an unwalkable road. What had happened in her world couldn't happen here. Too much had changed already. Her intention in coming back had been to save Ben, but already it was turning into much more than that. Ben's despair was a heady blackness; the way forward Rey had thought possible had vanished to black, not blocked, but like they were never there at all. She knew that to Ben hope was meaningless, if his mind lingered on such ideas they started to feel like cruel tricks. But she had to make him see that there was hope. Hope was all they had to cling to, otherwise what was left?

Ben felt Rey's arms wind around him as she hugged him. Her hug was stronger than anything he'd ever known, as if her holding him wasn't quite enough, she needed to press every ounce of her body onto him. In that moment of feeling her so close, Ben felt more awake somehow, more alive than he had felt in a very long time. He felt safe and protected within the sanctuary of her arms. He returned her hug in kind, clutching her to him fiercely, wrapping his arms around her so tightly that her feet lifted off the floor.

Despite the heaviness in Rey's stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of his body against hers. She sunk into the warmth of his side. His embrace was warm, and his big strong arms seemed very protective wrapped around her body. The world around Rey melted away as she squeezed Ben tightly, not wanting the moment to end as they found hope in each other.

"I want to tell them, Rey. I need to." He said roughly. "I know it's a risk…."

"If that's what you need to do, then we'll do it." Rey murmured as she reached for him, kissing him softly.

There were just some outcomes you couldn't control.

* * *

Ben and Rey stood with Han, Leia and Luke on the bridge of the Raddus as they revealed their risky plan-to confront Snoke aboard the Mega-class Star Dreadnought Supremacy, and then kill him. Leia gasped, her hand immediately went to her chest, fingers extended over her wildly beating heart. Han and Luke went to her assistance immediately, the latter helping her to sit in a vacant chair.

"I'm alright." She said, hastily dismissing their fears. She turned her attention to Ben, who hadn't moved from Rey's side. He seemed anchored there, as if afraid to leave the young girl's orbit for even a second. "I'm sorry, Ben. I can't allow it. It's madness."

Ben and Rey made eye contact. His breathing slowed down to match hers, his pensive look melting into a small smile. Rey's body relaxed just as much as his. The intensity of their gaze wasn't lost on Leia, or Luke or Han either. There was something about the way they looked at each other, which made it seem in that moment, that their souls had made a bridge, enabling them to have a whole conversation without the need for words.

Luke was frowning heavily. He could feel the force flowing between them like a fast running stream. He could sense that Leia felt it, too. He glanced at his twin; Leia appeared mesmerised, her eyes luminous as if she had discovered something new and shiny. When Luke's eyes travelled to Han, he noted the confusion but intense curiosity on his face. This made him angry. Ben's parents refused to see what he could plainly see. This was a trick. They so sorely wanted to believe that their only child had shrugged off the chains binding him to the dark side of the force, but Luke wasn't so easily fooled.

They hadn't seen what he'd seen. He remembered when he first became aware of the darkness which threatened his nephew's soul. He had felt a dark movement in the force, which had eventually brought him to his nephew's bedroom one evening. Standing over his sleeping student, Luke reached out and sensed an evil, corrupting influence within Ben Solo. The immediacy and severity of the threat caused the Jedi master to instinctively draw his lightsaber, intending even for a brief moment to kill his young apprentice, his nephew, his sister's son. The desire had vanished in an instant when he realised what his brief lapse in control had so nearly made him do, but by then it was too late. Ben had awoken to find his mentor and uncle standing over him with a raised weapon. Luke closed his eyes at the painful memory, trying to shut out the sight of his nephew's panicked and frightened eyes as he raised his own blade to defend himself.

"Don't fall for it!" He spat angrily. "This is a trick. If we let him go, he'll go straight to his master and he'll have the First Order's fleet hot on our trail. Think about it. You've allowed him the freedom to roam all over the base. He knows all our strengths and weaknesses!" He continued, his voice shaking with repressed anger.

"That's enough, Luke!" Leia reprimanded him as she rose shakily to her feet.

Han's face was grim as he stood defensively next to his wife, his arm slipping around her waist in support. "You've gone too far, Luke." He said gruffly.

Luke looked between them, his expression growing fierce. "You need to take your blinders off. The reason I went into exile is because I looked into his heart. I saw darkness. I sensed it building in him. I'd seen it in moments during his training. But then I looked deeper inside, and it was beyond what I ever imagined. Snoke had already turned his heart. He would bring destruction, pain, death, and the end of everything I loved because of what he wou become. You see the face of the son you love in front of you right now." He roared at Han and Leia. "But all I see is Kylo Ren!"

"_Shut up, Luke!"_ Leia cried.

Luke's lightsaber suddenly ripped off his belt and flew through the air. The plasma blade erupted, humming violently. He turned swiftly, expecting the blade to be clasped in his nephew's hands, but was shocked into silence when he found Rey standing defensively in front of him, her hazel eyes alight with fury. Ben remained still behind her, his eyes unfocused, looking suddenly like the lost, frightened boy that Luke remembered from the night he had so nearly attacked him.

"Ben…" He whispered.

"Don't you say his name!" Rey cut in harshly. Angry tears glimmered in her eyes. "You are nothing but a bitter old man. Some legend! You said you looked deep inside him- inside his heart-but you failed to see the truth. The darkness you claim to have sensed inside Ben wasn't of his own making. You were being manipulated!"

Luke's eyes widened and his complexion turned grey as his eyes left Ben's face and landed on hers. "What do you mean by that?" He quavered.

"Rey, put the lightsaber away." Leia's voice was gentle and soothing as she cut off Rey's view of Luke and coaxed her to hand over the weapon.

A shudder rippled through Rey's body as she shut the lightsaber down and placed the hilt in Leia's open hands. She felt a wretched silence seize her soul. There was a chill in her blood, coldness bringing the synapses of her brain to a standstill. She was deeply regretting her outburst, but when the full force of Ben's pain and anger had hit her like a knife to the heart through their shared bond, she had to act. She took his anger and made it her own as she confronted Skywalker, but she had let that anger consume her, letting it turn to hate until she found herself standing in front of Skywalker with a raised weapon in her hand.

_Oh, she was definitely a Palpatine after all! _

"_No!"_ Ben's deep tone of denial echoed fluidly in her mind.

"_I gave into my anger_." Rey projected back to him, her head hanging in shame.

"_You were defending me." _Ben pointed out; a small smile pulled at his lips as he gazed at her with a softness in his eyes that left Rey breathless with wanting. "_And you were right. It was a mistake to tell them_." He concluded sadly.

Their silent conversation was cut off when Luke stepped between them, breaking all mental contact, leaving them feeling cold and bereft. "I need to know what you meant!" He demanded, looking at Rey. "Who are you?"

"I can't answer that." Rey said wearily. She turned away from Skywalker to find Han and Leia standing nearby, gazing at her in concern. "I'm sorry." She whispered brokenly in their direction, before fleeing the bridge.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	12. Chapter 12

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you very much for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

**Chapter Twelve-A Change of Heart**

The Falcon's combination of sublight speed and manoeuvrability was comparable to most of the starfighters fielded by the Rebellion and Empire, while its shielding, hyperdrive, and heavy weapons were on a par with those typically found on capital ships. The Falcon's only real combat weakness was its sheer size compared to starfighters. Although the ship had squeezed through many narrow spots in its history, there were many times it had experienced a close call.

As Rey walked up the opened ramp to the belly inside, she got a sense of its history. She touched the walls reverently, skimming her fingers over the cold metal. Even though she'd only had a short acquaintance with the ship, she already felt as if she was part of its glamourous history.

"I remember when I first saw it." Leia's gentle voice from behind startled Rey. "I thought it was a piece of garbage." She laughed softly; her eyes wistful as she became lost in the past. "I remember telling Han he was brave flying in that thing. He was so offended."

Rey found herself smiling. She could imagine the defensive look on his face as he reeled off all the modifications that he and Chewie had made to his beloved ship in an attempt to impress his princess. "I've got a confession to make." She admitted.

Leia raised her eyebrows and waited for Rey to continue.

"When I first saw it, I thought it was garbage, too. I remember telling Finn I doubted she would even get off the ground." Rey's smile faded as she remembered their fraught escape from Jakku with BB8.

Leia seemed to sense Rey's unhappiness as she thought about her old home-if you could call Jakku that. It was the place her parents had hidden her in a last desperate attempt to stop Palpatine from finding her. They had lost their lives in the process, and so had she in a way, spending years of her life wandering the hot sands, lost and alone, waiting for them to come back and claim her.

"You are so young." Leia murmured. "But your eyes tell me that you've seen and experienced things no one of your tender years should ever have had to endure."

Rey sucked in a deep breath, fighting the urge to fling herself into Leia's motherly arms and confess everything. She wanted rid of her burden. She was so tired of shouldering everything alone.

Leia picked up her heavy robes and walked gracefully up the Falcon's ramp to join Rey at the top. Once she reached her, she stopped, and opened her arms and cupped Rey's face in-between her warm palms. Her wise gaze settled on Rey's, looking deeper, seeing the true emotions bubbling underneath the surface.

"I can sense the deep connection you have with my son." Leia whispered. "You love him?"

Rey avoided answering. Instead she lowered her eyes, unable to meet Leia's sympathetic gaze.

"No…its more than simple love. Your connection is greater, more powerful." Leia closed her eyes, letting the familiarity of the force wash over her. It had been a long time since she had allowed herself to open up to it fully. Almost immediately she felt the strong band of power surrounding Rey, the bright light that was almost blinding in its intensity. She opened her eyes again, feeling awed. "Let's talk." She said.

* * *

Leia's command ship The Raddus was named for a legendary Mon Calamari commander from the early days of the rebel alliance, the ship served as Leia Organa's mobile headquarters and flagship of the ragtag resistance task force who were about to flee D'Qar. The Mc85 star Cruiser's deflector shields was supposed to be able to withstand massive damage before failing. It was an impregnable ship and usually buzzing with crew, but now it was empty, almost serene in its quiet calmness.

"Where is everybody?" Rey asked nervously as they stepped on the bridge. She could sense Ben was somewhere nearby, but he appeared preoccupied with something or someone. "Aren't the crew supposed to be getting ready to leave?"

"I cleared them out." Leia responded as she motioned for Rey to sit. "We have a short window of time before we need to leave. I wanted to take this opportunity to talk with you in private."

Rey sat down nervously. She couldn't believe how calm Leia was being in the face of adversity, but then this wasn't the first crisis that the military general had faced in her long life. That was what made Leia such a great tactician, her fearlessness on the battlefield and her dedication to ending the tyranny of the Empire had seen her reputation become as legendary as Luke's.

"You don't need to be so anxious, child. I've not brought you here to interrogate you. Your secrets are your own to keep." Leia smiled warmly as she poured some water out of a pitcher into two tall glasses and passed one to Rey.

Rey took the water gratefully and sipped it, her body beginning to relax. "Thank you."

"I should be the one thanking you." Leia's eyes glistened with moisture. "You brought my boy home. You healed something in him."

"I can't take the credit for that." Rey put her glass down and bowed her head. "It took an immense amount of inner strength for Ben to break free of his bonds and to face his demons."

"Yes…his demons." Leia regarded Rey with a troubled expression. "I know I said this wasn't an interrogation, but I must ask. What you said earlier-that the darkness inside Ben wasn't of his own making-what did you mean?"

Rey swallowed thickly and her hands clenched in her lap. She wished she hadn't said anything, but in her anger at Luke's treatment of Ben, she had let slip this vital piece of information, and now she was being asked to explain it.

Leia could see the struggle warring inside of Rey. She reached out and took one of Rey's hands in-between her own. "Let me tell you something…when I was carrying Ben, I could feel him through the force. He felt like a living band of light-it was the same sensation I feel in you now-but occasionally with Ben that light dimmed and was sometimes thrust through with a vein of darkness. It made me afraid for him." She hesitated, her eyes closing briefly as if her next thought was too horrifying to contemplate. "Was the darkness I felt not coming from him? Was…was someone trying to hurt my boy even before he was born?"

Rey bit down on her lower lip drawing blood. She trembled, a cold shiver tingling down her spine. She was in torment. There was no way she could tell Leia the truth, that essentially Ben was a classic case of grooming and abuse, that he had been targeted from birth by Palpatine, or Darth Sidious to give him his Sith name. She felt sick to her stomach. Leia believed that the evil Sith lord was dead, conquered the day that her own father, Darth Vadar, had finally found the strength to break free from the shackles of his former master, and flung the evil Sith lord down the pit in order to save his son, Luke.

"Rey?" Leia noticed the colour drain from the young girl's face.

Rey's sadness was like a hollowness inside her. The knowledge that she was in any way related to the monster who had tormented Ben his whole life-and who was behind the evil voices inside his head, constantly plaguing him, so he couldn't find respite even in his sleep- sickened her. Poor Ben lived his life in torment, always believing he was evil, even as he did his best to fight against it, even though it had ultimately driven him to despair, separating him from all those who cared about him until his only release was to seek the darkness that he believed he was filled with all along. It showed his strength of character that he hadn't completely succumbed to the darkness by the time they had encountered each other. The light was still there, the spark just needed to be lit, and it had, growing stronger and stronger until he had found his redemption. But his reward had been death.

"Your silence speaks volumes." Leia's hand flew to her mouth and she sank back into her seat in despair.

"I'm sorry." Rey said shakily as she wiped her bloody lip with the back of her hand. "I can't say anymore."

All she felt was sadness, mingled with shame. Every other emotion had been pushed from her being. The urge to cry was strong upon her. The urge was chaotic, powerful, until she found herself spilling hot tears. As Rey cried, her bottom lip quivered, the same as a small child pushed past all endurance. She was suddenly that frightened little girl on Jakku again, abandoned by her parents, feeling alone…_oh, so alone!_

Ben seemed to come out of nowhere, his boots sliding along the floor of the bridge in his haste to get to her. He felt every emotion she felt. He took Rey's face in his hands, her hazel eyes had darkened to almost black under the sheen of water, her tears flowing without pause. Ben leaned down from his greater height and did his best to kiss them all away.

In that moment, Leia, watching them, seeing Rey's hurt reflected in Ben, finally understood the depth of pain that flowed between them. She stood up; arms opened wide as she embraced them both.

"You're not alone." She murmured. "I stand with you."

"So do I." Han's husky voice was a welcome addition. He quickly joined the small group, putting his arms around them.

Luke, who had come onto the bridge with Han, could sense the love surrounding the small family like a bright light. His chest heaved and he found it difficult to breathe. He glanced down at the lightsaber hanging from his belt. He knew he had let his bitterness poison his spirit and deaden his mind until it had killed off all his other emotions until it was the only one that remained. It was as if a black mist had settled on his shoulders and refused to shift. He had accused Han and Leia of being blind, but maybe he was the one who couldn't see. He lifted the saber from his belt and activated it. The humming blade attracted the attention of the others and they let go of each other, turning to face him in surprise.

"If you're going to kill Snoke, then you're going to need a weapon." He said roughly as he held out the lightsaber toward Ben.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Please review. I would love to know what you think.**_


	13. Chapter 13

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I really appreciate it. Ah, we are on the dreaded thirteenth chapter. Not my lucky number. Be kind….**_

**Chapter Thirteen-The Calm Before the Storm**

The Millennium Falcon hurtled through hyperspace like it was on the crest of a wave. Its signature speed was a direct result of its hyperdrive, a propulsion system that pushed the vessel to lightspeed-though Han Solo boasted that the ship could travel even faster. This time Ben hoped his father was wrong. He would rather get to their destination a little slower in order to give him a few more seconds to get his shit together. He was once again donning Kylo Ren's robes and he was drowning in bad memories.

Their destination was the Supremacy-disparagingly nicknamed Snoke's boudoir to those brave enough to speak their mind about the Supreme leader-it was a Mega-class Star Dreadnought that served as the flagship for the Supreme leader and the mobile headquarters of the First Order. It was a capital ship built on a nearly unimaginable scale; the Supremacy was a fast flying wing more than sixty kilometres wide.

"Ben…Ben!"

Ben tried to focus his attention on Rey's lovely face as she spoke his name. Her hazel eyes were wide, filled with concern, for him. "I'm okay." He lied badly.

"I know that's not true." Rey leaned out of her co-pilots seat just enough so she could reach for his hand. Her fingers were cool as they curled around his. "We can do this." She said firmly, sounding like she actually believed it.

"How can you be so confident?" Ben didn't want to let go of her hand but was forced to when a light on the console began to flicker. He sighed, flicking a few switches. They were approaching their destination already.

_Because we defeated him once before._

Rey's response was like a ringing endorsement in his head. He glanced over at her, his posture relaxing slightly.

_You remember what we have to do?_

Rey's response was a sharp nod of acknowledgement. They had been over and over the plan in their heads until they got sick of it. Their communications radio crackled as a tinny voice demanded they announce themselves. It was coming from Snoke's ship. Ben closed his eyes briefly, his jaw clenching as he forced himself to respond.

"This is Ren! I'm engaging the landing sequence now. Inform the Supreme leader of my imminent arrival and tell him I have a prisoner aboard."

There was a surprised crackle on the other end, before an immediate confirmation followed in a much more respectful tone. Ben scowled, cutting off the communication signal before he lost it completely. He turned to look at Rey, she was as tense as he was now. This was it, there was no backing out now.

"Rey- "He began.

"Ben, I have something for you." Rey cut in quickly before he had a chance to talk further. She rose hastily from her seat and opened a secret compartment with a flick of a switch. "I know you weren't comfortable taking Luke's saber. I know you only accepted it as a gesture to appease him. So, I brought you this…"

Ben looked at Rey curiously as she produced another saber. He stared at it, confused, but also feeling a faint recognition. The lightsaber was calling to him. He was itching to hold it in his hands. Without realising what he was doing, he flexed his fingers and the mysterious saber flew out of Rey's grasp and directly into his. He ignited it and the blue plasma blade hummed to life.

"Where did you get this?" He murmured in awe.

"Ahch-to." Rey confessed. "Luke had it hidden away. It belonged to…"

"Leia." Ben stood up, swinging the saber back and forth in his hand, getting to know the feel of it. It was lighter than his old weapon, it felt more fluid in his grip, comfortable, safe. After a moment he shut it down, his dark eyes meeting Rey's. "I'm going to shove this right through Snoke's heart." He vowed. "It will be a blow from my mother."

Rey smiled grimly. Now this was fighting talk. All her worries about giving Ben Leia's lightsaber, and his reaction to it, were diminished. She had stolen it at the last minute, right before they had left the island with Luke in tow. She had felt Leia's saber calling to her the whole time she had been on the island, and now she was glad she had taken it.

* * *

Ben walked with purpose; his whole being focused on staying in character. Rey was in front of him, shackled between two stormtroopers. Captain Phasma strode confidently beside him, her distinctive armour of salvaged chromium glinting brightly in the overhead lighting. She had been there to greet him off the ship, an impressive array of Stormtroopers arrayed behind her. Phasma had the command of the First Order's legion of stormtroopers and had a fierce reputation, she had no use for fancy titles and didn't suffer fools gladly.

They had reached the main command bridge. The bridge sat upon a massive structure at the centre of the ship, which had a similar design to that of the Mandator IV-class Siege Dreadnought, and to a lesser extent the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer. The bridge had access to displays allowing 360-degree views over everything within the city scape like structures on the main wing of the destroyer.

"You can leave now." Ben ordered Phasma sternly when she had finished bringing him up to date on the First Orders pursuit of the scumbag resistance.

"They won't outpace us for long." She sneered.

"I said you can leave now!" Ben snapped impatiently. "I'll take charge of the prisoner and bring her to the Supreme leader."

"Those weren't my orders." Phasma said bitingly.

"Are you questioning mine, Captain Phasma?" Ben's voice purred.

Phasma recognised that tone. "Of course not. It's just the Supreme leader- "

Phasma's airways were cut off as Ben extended his arm, his fingers outstretched. He noticed Rey's eyes widening in alarm as she looked at him and he winced slightly. This was all a part he had to play. He had to put Phasma in her place. He suddenly relaxed his chokehold on the impertinent captain and she dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

"Do not question me again." He stated coldly as he dismissed the stormtroopers caging Rey and took hold of her arm, leading her further down the bridge and out of sight.

* * *

As soon as turbolift's doors closed behind them, Ben took Leia's saber, which was hidden under his belt and ignited it, surprising Rey as he slashed at the cameras, sending sparks flying. "There are eyes everywhere." He growled by way of explanation.

Rey took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. In a few minutes they would reach Snoke's throne room. She didn't feel ready. The shackles felt heavy on her wrists. "Ben." She whispered.

"I know." Ben shut down the saber and hooked it under his belt again. He noticed Rey trembling slightly and he took her face in his hands. "We can do this!" He said firmly.

"We can do this!" Rey echoed him.

Ben leaned down and kissed her, his lips brushing hers. Not innocently, like a tease but hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. Rey's fears fell away as she kissed him back just as hungrily, her hands suspended in front of her because of the shackles, yearning to break free of them so she could touch him, pull him closer. She needed, wanted him, so badly, so desperately, it was like a violent ache in her heart.

"Ben." She whispered. "Ben."

Unexpectedly, his hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer. Rey inhaled sharply. She was against his warm chest; she could feel the chiselled muscles underneath his black tunic. His breathing quickened as did hers. He began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses. So faint, they were whispers. Rey knew she needed to take control and focus her mind on what lay ahead, but she couldn't. What if this was the last time, she got to savour his lips! His closeness! This wonderful intimacy!

Her limp body began to tremble uncontrollably. His head was angled slightly to the side as his lips came closer and closer to hers. Rey was surprised to find her own lips parted in anticipation of another soul searing kiss. Their breaths mingled. Her heart fluttered inside her chest. At first, it was a delicate butterfly of kiss. Then his arms encircled her and the kiss deepened to almost bruising intensity.

Rey's brain lit on fire and the warmth spread throughout her entire body. His kisses were both her salvation and her torment. She lived them and would die with the memory of them on her lips.

_That is not going to happen._

Ben's voice was a soothing murmur in her head as he finally pulled away from her. Rey took an unsteady breath and turned away from, her lips still tingling like crazy.

_It's time._

The doors to the turbolift opened to reveal the vast throne room. Rey and Ben breathed deeply in unison as they stepped inside…

**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review…**


	14. Chapter 14

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Fourteen-Battle of the Throne Room**

The throne room was a massive chamber situated on the Supremacy. The chamber was veiled by an enormous curtain. Supreme leader Snoke, whose physical injuries led him to prioritise comfort, governed the First Order from his throne room. He was always surrounded by eight sentries-the Elite Praetorian Guard, who were trained to defend the Supreme Leader against any threat.

It was like deja-vu for Rey as she walked slowly into the vast chamber with Ben by her side. She couldn't stop the shudder rippling through her body when she watched him pause as he knelt down in front of Snoke. She had expected it, but it still didn't stop the bad memories of the last time they were here from playing out in the back of her mind. The heavy shackles were making her wrists ache abominably and she was desperate to be rid of them.

"So, you have returned at last, my young apprentice." Snoke sneered derisively as he leaned forward on his throne.

"Yes, Supreme leader." Ben murmured in response.

"And you brought the girl." Snoke's watery blue eyes narrowed calculatingly. With one flick of his fingers, he used the force to pull Rey toward him against her will. She felt her body gliding in his direction, her feet suspended inches above the floor of the throne room. "Interesting." He muttered when he saw Luke's saber hanging from her belt. With another quick motion of his fingers, the saber flew into his opened hand. He placed it next to him on the arm of the throne.

Rey knew what was coming next. The shackles around her wrists parted and fell to the floor with a dull clang. She braced herself, waiting for Snoke to use his formidable powers to continue to restrain her, before tortuously probing her mind to discover Luke Skywalker's whereabouts. The remembered pain of this particular episode made her feel nauseous, but she was willing to endure it again as long as the outcome was Snoke's imminent death. Rey prayed that Ben could keep it together while he watched her being interrogated.

_She waited, and waited, and waited…. but nothing! _

_What was Snoke waiting for? _

Rey, still restrained by the Supreme leader's will, glanced nervously in Ben's direction. He was still in a kneeling position, his head slightly bowed. She saw the flicker of confusion in his eyes for a second, before he hid it behind an indifferent mask.

Suddenly Snoke let out a contemptuous laugh. It echoed eerily around the vast chamber, sending chills down Rey's spine. He rose from his high throne, his glittering robes falling in soft folds around his long body as he strode toward her. This wasn't supposed to happen. A flutter of panic took flight in her stomach, sending another wave of nausea through her. She looked in Ben's direction, she noticed his jaw pulse in agitation. He was clearly as unnerved as she was by Snoke's odd behaviour.

"Pathetic child." Snoke said scornfully as he made a swift cutting motion with his hand.

Rey gasped as her body was flipped upside down. She remained suspended in mid-air, the blood rushing to her head, making her feel groggy. Another mocking laugh from the Supreme leader rang in her ears as she was suddenly swung around again, this time the right way up. He used the force to draw her closer to him, making her rise higher in the air until she was suspended in front of him, so close that she could feel his rancid breath on her skin.

"Do you think you can fool me?" Snoke roared fiercely, his temper suddenly flaring. Rey recoiled from the ferocity of his verbal attack, but she couldn't escape him. He drew her closer, so close that their noses were almost touching. His top lip curled back as he regarded her derisively. "I see his mind. I see his every intent!" Snoke whispered fiercely in her ear. "And now, foolish child, you will pay the price!"

Reeling with motion sickness and full of desperation, Rey found herself plummeting to the floor below. Still under the influence of Snoke's greater power, she had no way of defending herself. She hit the floor hard, the breath stolen from her body. Tears of pain stung her eyes as she tried to right herself, but Snoke wasn't going to let her go so easily. She felt her body being wrenched upright until she was facing away from him on her knees.

Ben gave up all pretence of being cowed. He sprang to his feet, throwing his cape off his shoulders as he rushed to Rey's defence. But he didn't get far before he was suddenly surrounded by the Elite Praetorian Guards. Their weapons were drawn, hemming him in until he had nowhere to go.

"I cannot be betrayed. I cannot be beaten!" Snoke's eyes glowed with fury as he threatened Ben. "And now you will have to live with the consequences of your disloyalty, young Solo!"

To Ben's horror, his old lightsaber-that he wrongly assumed had been lost during the destruction of Starkiller base- appeared in Snoke's hand. The red plasma blade shot out of the hilt, hissing and sparking like a coiled snake. The supreme leader raised it above his head, his maniacal laughter echoing around the chamber. With one slicing motion he aimed the blade for Rey's exposed neck in an attempt to assassinate her.

A tormented scream erupted from Ben's mouth as his mother's saber flew into his hands. The sudden appearance of the weapon took the Elite Praetorian guards by surprise. Ben ignited it, the blue blade shining bright and true as he slashed at the guard nearest to him, sending him spiralling to the ground. He charged the others, breaking through them like a mad bull, slashing left and right, not caring if he hit his targets or not. He sole intent was reaching Rey.

When Ben had snaked past the last of the guards, he extended his hand, his fingers like claws as he used the full power of the force to stop Snoke's death strike from reaching Rey. The Supreme leader snarled in fury as the sparking red blade remained suspended above Rey's neck. He gritted his teeth as he engaged in a battle of wills with his former apprentice. He was struggling, trying to maintain his hold over Rey, while warring with Ben, trying to exert his greater power over them both simultaneously.

_Something had to give…_

Rey slumped to the floor, her body trembling with exhaustion as Snoke failed to maintain his hold on her. She could feel the strength of the force humming around her like a swarm of angry bees. It made the very air vibrate as master and apprentice battled with one another. Even the Praetorian guards were hanging back, seeming awed by the fight taking place.

Now was her time to strike. Rey took in a deep breath…one…then two. Climbing wearily to her feet, she extended her hand, willing Luke's saber to come to her.

Snoke seemed to sense what she was doing. "KILL HER!" He ordered his guards.

Luke's saber flew through the air right into her opened hand. Rey immediately ignited it, taking a defensive stance as she watched the seven remaining guards begin to circle her. She turned, following their graceful movements with a skilful eye, assessing their weaknesses and strengths all in a matter of seconds. Then with a loud warrior's cry she launched her attack.

* * *

Ben could feel exhaustion creeping up on him. He couldn't hold off Snoke any longer. The element of surprise was long gone. He growled in frustration, twirling his mother's saber in his hand as he ran to strike at his former master. Snoke parried him and the two began to fight, their saber's sparking furiously each time they connected. Snoke had the advantage of height, being seven-foot-tall, but Ben at six foot three, was younger and fitter. It had been a long time since Snoke had fought with a blade and it showed. He slashed at Ben wildly. Ben took advantage and ducked underneath the humming red blade and got a direct hit right across Snoke's stomach.

The Supreme leader roared as blood began to seep through his robes. His arm shot out and he used the power of the force to blast Ben backwards, sending him skidding across the throne room floor. Taking deep breaths, Ben was quickly back on his feet. He rushed in again, leaping high as Snoke swung his saber low. Ben struck his master again, slashing him across the shoulder. This time he was ready for the direct hit as Snoke used the force to push him backwards. This time he didn't fall, but merely skidded back a few inches.

Snoke paused in his movements, his eyes narrowing with hate as he glared at Ben. "Foolish boy, you really think you can defeat me? You are outnumbered. I sense your exhaustion as I do hers. Bow down before me and I might consider showing you leniency."

A bitter smile crossed Ben's handsome face. "I would rather die!"

"Then die!" Snoke spat angrily as he exerted all of his power against Ben, pushing him back so violently that he fell backwards and lost his grip on his mother's saber.

Snoke took advantage of Ben's momentary loss of control. He called the saber to him, laughing as it flew right into his hand. He now had Ben's old saber and his mothers, too. The Supreme leader lunged at Ben with both sabers raised, ready to plunge them into his helpless body.

Rey, in the midst of her own fight, felt Ben's distress through their force bond. She swung around, gasping in shock when she saw what Snoke was about to do. In the grip of silent panic, wild eyes, pupils dilated, her heart racing. Her brain felt like it was on fire. This was like a nightmare. She couldn't lose Ben. She wouldn't.

_Not again! _

"Ben!" She cried, flinging her own saber toward him, leaving herself defenceless.

Ben caught Luke's old saber, raising it above his head, parrying Snoke's double strike, then lurching to his feet and driving the plasma blade right through Snoke's heart.

_Time slowed down…_

Snoke's eyes widened in disbelief. His mouth opened, but no sound came out. Ben drove the blade harder, slicing right through the Supreme leader's body. Then he shut the saber down, breathing hard as he watched Snoke's lifeless body slump to the ground at his feet.

Snoke was dead. Gone forever.

_Time sped up again…_

Ben, feeling triumphant, swung around to assist Rey, only to find her slumped on her knees, her right hand pressed tight to her shoulder as she tired to stem the blood seeping like thick molasses from a deep wound inflicted by one of Praetorian guards.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	15. Chapter 15

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

"_The world was on fire and no one could save me but you…"_

_Chris Isaak from the song Wicked Game_

**Chapter Fifteen-One Journey Ends and Another Begins**

The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of Rey's vision and the only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat. It was so loud it drowned out the sounds of Ben battling the last of the Praetorian guards as they sought to avenge their dead master. Her breath came in shallow, ragged gasps.

_So, this was what it was like to die?_

She had died before. But it was nothing like this. This was something different. In Exegol she had served her purpose, the Jedi abandoning her in her last moments of life, her body an empty vessel once Palpatine had been defeated. Her last thought had been of Ben as she toppled to the ground.

_Then nothing…_

_Nothing until he had used up the last of his life force to revive her._

But this time she could hear voices. People swarmed all over her, former Jedi, trying to help her, she realised. They wanted to save her. If she could have, Rey would have laughed.

"Where were you when I needed you on Exegol? Where were you when Ben needed you?" She mumbled through bloodless lips. "You used me to kill Darth Sidious and then you left me! You left Ben! You let him die to save me!"

Rey felt every bit of the despair and suffering of the world that took everyone she loved away from her. Her parents, though she would be joining them soon enough, and Ben…

"Ben." Rey murmured. A solitary tear ran down her cheek, dissolving like bitter salt when it reached the corner of her mouth.

This time she was going to be the one to die. She was going to be the one ripped away from Ben. The sick irony stole her last breath. She closed her eyes in defeat, her fragile, human heart beating one last time.

* * *

Ben fell to his knees next to Rey, the dead bodies of the Elite Praetorian guards scattered around them like a pack of fallen dominoes. He inhaled a trembling breath, sweat accumulating on his hot skin. His midnight black hair clung to his scalp in damp tendrils. His dark brown eyes turned almost black with anguish as he touched Rey's icy skin with shaking fingers.

"Rey?"

Her eyes stayed closed. No colour returned to her chilled skin.

"Rey?"

Ben picked her up, cradling her against his shaking body. Oxygen was slowly being ripped and snatched from lungs already scarred with a thousand unformed regrets. Every waking minute was pain. As he pressed her precious body against the vulnerable flesh of his body, his heart shattered into a million pieces. His surroundings blurred into the new sick reality that only the broken could see. He was broken.

Vainly he tried to summon the voices of the Jedi, begging them for help. But unlike Rey in her last moments, they stayed stubbornly silent. Rey was gone. He couldn't feel her. Ben knew he didn't want to exist in a world where he couldn't find her.

While cradling Rey's inert body, Ben placed his hand on her stomach, and closed his eyes. He breathed deeply, evenly, calling out again to the Jedi again, both past and present, begging them to help him.

"Be with me! Help me to find her!" He murmured over and over. "Please…"

_And finally, they answered him…._

* * *

Ben opened his eyes to a world of heat. In every direction he looked he saw nothing but desert. The cruel sun beat down, its one malevolent eye unblinking, and the sky was its co-conspirator, with not even a wisp of cloud to soften the harsh rays. The heat was so strong that Ben could barely breathe in the haze it created. He stood up, his boots sinking low in the soft sand. His clothes were sticking to his skin and felt confining. In desperation Ben tugged his heavy black tunic over his head and dropped it onto the hot sand. He was desperate for shelter. He couldn't stay exposed like this. He would die. As he looked around again all he saw were a few rocks, but none of them were large enough to offer him shade. He was going to have to walk. Ben moved forward, each step he took sunk into the searing sand, the air thick and hazy, each breath he took like drowning in larva.

He was confused, weary, delusional. His last memory was of cradling Rey's lifeless body in his arms as he begged the Jedi to help him find her. Instead they had sent him to this barren hell. A hot wind stirred the hair at the base of his neck while the sun's never-ending rays beat down on him mercilessly. Salty sweat rolled off his brow and stung his eyes. Ben continued moving forward, putting one foot in front of the other, heading in no particular direction, just desperate to escape this fresh hell and find himself back with Rey.

The sun moved across the sky, but Ben was barely aware of it. He was half mad now, with thirst and hunger. The stiff, dry, desert breeze blew sand into his eyes, his hair stiff with salt. Ben's tongue felt like it was coated in fur and his lips were chapped and dry. His throat was so parched that he could no longer utter Rey's name. His whole world had narrowed to nothing but putting one foot forward in front of the other as he continued on his journey to nowhere.

After another few tortuous hours of slogging through the sand, Ben was finally done. His eyes rolled in the back of his head and he fell.

Nineteen-year-old Rey, on her way home after yet another scavenging expedition, saw him fall.

* * *

In order to survive on Jakku, Rey became a scavenger in the employ of Unkar Plutt, trawling through the junk fields of the Starship graveyard which was littered with the remains of starships and other military technology from the Battle of Jakku. The battle had left the ships trapped in sand in varying conditions, and finding working parts was essential in order to earn food portions, the only thing that was up for trade in the Niima outpost. The trades were made by Plutt, who traded leftover Republic and Imperial rations in exchange for whatever Rey and other scavengers were able to recover. Rey learned that parts that could be repurposed were the most important; anything that could not be put into another ship was worthless to Plutt.

She had been out on another scavenging expedition when she came across the stranger. This wasn't her normal route home, but something inside her had drawn her in this direction. Rey stood over the stranger's inert body, sighing heavily. She normally avoided interacting with anybody, a necessary side affect if she wanted to stay alive. She knew from past experience how badly things could go wrong if you crossed paths with the wrong person.

Some of the scavengers that Rey worked for were kind to her, such as Ivano Troade and Mashra. Others, whose names she refused to speak, were not kind, and even viewed her as their property. As Rey's skills as a scavenger grew, she came to realize that while other scavengers needed her, she did not need them. She struck out on her own, utilizing the skills she had to scavenge and survive, but no one took her seriously at first. She was aided by Plutt himself, who told other scavengers to leave Rey alone and would send his thugs after those who did not. Rey did not want his help, and the help was not out of generosity. Rather, Rey was the best scavenger Plutt had and he wanted to continue utilizing her as a source of acquisitions. Rey gained a reputation in Niima Outpost for using her quarterstaff to defend herself, which also kept most people from bothering her—save for the occasional new scavenger who did not know about her, or were so desperate for supplies that they did not care.

The stranger didn't look in any fit state to fight. Still, as a precaution, Rey used her quarterstaff to prod him. He emitted a slight groan. Rey prodded him again. The stranger rolled on his back, his eyes cracking open slightly as he stared up at her. The sun was so blinding that he was forced to shut them just as quickly.

Rey scowled, feeling irritated that she was going to have to abandon her plans to take her new finds to Plutt and help this man instead. The guy wasn't even dressed properly. He had on a thin black shirt, which clung to his chiselled frame. She tried not to stare at that as her gaze travelled to his heavy boots. He didn't appear to be carrying a weapon.

"Idiot." She mumbled under her breath. "I can help you as far as the Niima Outpost, then you're on your own." She stated harshly.

The stranger was roused out of his stupor by the sound of her voice. Re-energised he sat up abruptly, the sudden move causing his head to spin. He shook it a few times to clear it, before staggering slowly to his feet, raking his hand through his luxurious black locks as he gazed at her like some kind of angelic apparition.

"Rey." He whispered her name so reverently that she was taken aback. "I've found you."

Before she had time to register that he knew her name, the stranger stepped forward and tried to wrap his muscular arms around her. Rey let out a very unladylike oath as she used her quarterstaff to defend herself from his embrace. She jabbed him sharply in the chest, winding him.

"Damn." He wheezed as he fell back on the sand.

"How do you know my name?" Rey demanded fiercely as she jabbed him in the knee this time.

Ben was half delirious with happiness. If this was some kind of fucked up dream, he was past caring. He now realised he was on Jakku, Rey's home world. The Jedi had answered his pleas after all. He had found her again, but not in the way he expected. He was back in her past. A soft smile parted his lips as he fell back in the sand and gazed up at her confused face.

"Hi." He said before he passed out cold at her feet.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. This is a time travel fic after all. Their journey was never going to be easy.**_

_**Please review.**_


	16. Chapter 16

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing and sticking with this story. This is about to go in a direction you might not expect as Ben gets a glimpse of what could have been…**_

**Chapter Sixteen-A Revealing Conversation**

The next time that Ben opened his eyes the desert planet was shrouded in darkness. He groaned in pain, his head banging, his throat raw with thirst. He descended into a coughing fit; his fingers splayed across his heaving chest.

"Here!" An irritated voice came from above him. "You'll feel better if you sit up."

_It was Rey! _

The sound of her voice shot a bolt of adrenaline through him. Ben clambered to his feet, groaning again when his head began to spin. He heard Rey make an annoyed sound in the back of her throat as she helped him to stand.

"I said sit up not stand."

Ben wanted to laugh at her scolding. But his attempt only served to send him into another coughing fit. With Rey's help he slumped back onto the floor. She roughly propped him up against something. He wasn't sure what. Instead he concentrated his gaze on her beautiful face, taking in every tiny change in expression. Her emotions were not easily hidden on her innocent face. Rey's pain was evident in the crease of her lovely brow and the down-curve of her full lips. But her eyes, those incredible eyes, were the windows to her soul. They were a deep pool of restless gold, watchful and waiting.

"Drink this." She offered him a flask of tepid water.

"Thanks." Ben rasped. He tried to smile but his lips wobbled. He was so thirsty. He raised the flask to his chapped lips and began to gulp down the slick water greedily. But he drank too fast, and he choked.

"Sip it!" Rey snapped impatiently. "And there's not too much of that to go around, so go easy."

"Okay." Ben mumbled guiltily as he did as she ordered him. The water dribbled down his throat like a soothing wave. He breathed slowly, taking another tentative sip, before handing the precious water back to Rey. "Thank you."

"Whatever." Rey mumbled as she screwed the cap back on and turned her back on him.

Ben sighed, saddened that he had made such a poor first impression. He watched Rey rummage through her meagre possessions for a minute, before reluctantly tearing his eyes away from her so he could take in his surroundings. They widened when he realised where she had taken him. Rey had made her home in an old downed imperial walker, probably left over from the Battle of Jakku. To make it more homely she had decorated the inside with tiny flowers, none of which Ben recognised. He was surprised that anything could grow in this barren place. Her small attempt to put her mark on this grim place brought tears to his eyes. He took a deep breath and tried to hold them back. She had already formed a low opinion of him in their short acquaintance, he didn't want to make it worse by commenting on her living conditions.

"Are you hungry?" Rey asked harshly, bringing him back into the moment. "I don't have much. I was on my way to sell this junk when I came across you. But you are welcome to what's left of my rations." She tagged on at the end grudgingly.

Ben shook his head. "I'm okay." He lied. He couldn't take her food; it touched his battered heart that she was willing to give the last of her own supply to a complete stranger. It was such a Rey thing to do.

"I can see you're hungry." Rey sighed. "Just take it. I'll get more after I take you to the Niima outpost in the morning."

"I can't…."

Rey rolled her eyes as she split the rations in half and held out a portion toward him. A raging hunger made his stomach rumble in protest and he nodded his head in thanks, figuring voicing his gratitude would just annoy her further. He gobbled the food down quickly, making Rey roll her eyes again as she settled down opposite him and ate hers in tiny birdlike bites, making the small amount last longer.

Once they had finished eating, an awkward silence descended. Ben could clearly see Rey was uncomfortable having a stranger taking up so much space in her carefully ordered world. She kept throwing him mistrustful glances, her brows drawing down as she tried to figure him out.

"Thank you for helping me." He said after a while, desperate to break the intense quiet. "I'm grateful."

Rey stared at him pensively, clearly building up to ask him a question of her own. "How did you know my name?" She said suddenly.

"Huh?" Ben was confused. He couldn't remember much of their first meeting, only his delirious happiness at finding her again.

"You said my name!"

"I did?" Ben responded cautiously. "I don't remember."

Anger flashed in Rey's hazel eyes, enhancing the brilliance, and captivating Ben, who found himself lost for words all over again. He watched as she rose to her haunches, her posture tense. "Were you looking for me?" Her breath hitched slightly, a slight eagerness dimming her anger as she leaned forward. "Did someone send you to find me?"

The hopeful tremor in her voice nearly destroyed Ben as it dawned on him what she was thinking. Rey thought her parents had sent him to find her. It was why she had stayed on this godforsaken planet for so long, forever waiting, afraid to leave. He didn't know how to answer her, hating to be the one who stamped out the faint hope in her heart that her parents were alive and coming back for her.

Ben was forced to watch as the faint hope flickered in her eyes and dimmed to nothing. He reached out to her, his fingers extended, desperate to touch her. But Rey swept away from him, walking to the other side of the small room and hiding her expression. Ben's hand dropped back to his side and he felt her despair envelope them both.

Another silence descended; the tension more rampant then before. Ben wanted to break it, to fall to his knees at her feet and confess everything. But he knew it wouldn't do any good. She wouldn't believe him. Instead she would think the harsh desert sun had driven him mad and he was suffering from delusions or something. He waited, staying quiet to give Rey time to gather her thoughts. When she finally turned to face him again, she was more composed.

"You seem to know my name. But I don't know yours." She said softly.

"It's Ben." He said, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Ben?" Rey prompted him.

"Ben S-Solo." Ben tripped over his last name. Saying his birth name out loud like that felt alien to him, but he certainly wasn't prepared for Rey's reaction to it. To his shock her whole demeanour changed. It was like a light had been switched on inside her.

"Ben Solo!" She whispered in awe. "_You're the Ben Solo?"_

"The Ben Solo?" He echoed her, completely bemused.

"The commander of the Resistance's Starfighter corps, the son of General Han Solo and General Leia Organa!" Rey was vibrating with excitement. She stepped toward him, her incredible eyes shining with adulation, then she seemed to check herself, slightly bowing her head in deference. "Its an honour to meet you. If I had known…." Her voice tailed off anxiously as she began to worry her bottom lip with her teeth.

Amazement didn't quite cover what Ben was feeling. It was like he had been dropped into an alternative universe. He had been convinced that he had been thrust into Rey's past, but he had been mistaken. It took a second for this new information to sink in. Then to his surprise he felt his lips stretch wider into a surprised smile, his eyebrows arching for the sky. Rey was gazing at him like he was someone worth knowing. Like Ben Solo in this alternate universe was some kind of hero.

"I'm Ben Solo." He said again, testing the name on his lips and liking the sound of it for the first time in his life.

"And one of the best pilots in the whole galaxy." Rey breathed. Her skin flushed when she realised what she had let slip and she smiled at him nervously. "Or so I've heard."

The spark of wonder that had been ignited inside Ben flowered like someone had poured kerosene on it. The stunned smile showing on the outside couldn't adequately reflect what he was feeling on the inside; like every neurone of his brain was trying to fire in both directions at once-the best kind of paralysis.

"But what are you doing all the way out here?" Rey wondered. She hesitated, lowering her eyes in shame. "Sorry, of course you can't tell some random nobody."

Her words doused cold water on Ben's elation. He shook his head in denial, reaching out to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. Rey stiffened, not used to being touched or shown much sympathy. She brushed his hand away and retreated a few steps.

Ben sighed. "You're not a nobody, Rey. You're my saviour." He said so earnestly that Rey's incredulous eyes raised to meet his. "You saved me." He continued huskily, not even bothering to hide the emotion in his voice.

"I'm just a scavenger." Rey responded sadly.

"You're so much more than that." Ben answered passionately, wishing he wasn't so clumsy with words. "You're everything. You have no idea of your potential."

Rey's eyebrows shot up in surprise at his passionate declaration. Her cheeks flushed and she seemed lost for words. Ben cursed, knowing he'd probably freaked her out. He was such an idiot. He had to dial it back before she changed her mind about him completely. He raked his fingers through his hair and smiled disarmingly and shrugged. It was such a Han Solo gesture that it caught him short. He felt like he was morphing into his father.

"You must need to contact your base. Where's your ship? Did it crash in the desert?" Rey finally found her voice.

"Yes." Ben said slowly, it was as good as explanation for his presence in the middle of nowhere then anything he could think up on the fly.

"You should get some rest." Rey suggested. "I'll take you to the Niima outpost at first light. I'm sure you can find help there."

"Thanks." Ben said again.

"Don't thank me. You're the one risking your life every day." Rey smiled faintly, before walking back out into the night and leaving him alone to dwell on everything he had learned so far.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story.**_

**Chapter Seventeen-More Surprises**

Niima Outpost was a junkyard settlement on Jakku. The outpost was named for and founded by Niima the Hutt after the battle of Jakku to capitalise on the new scavenging opportunities the battle created on the barren planet. Scavengers, like Rey, who salvaged materials from the technology leftover from the Battle of Jakku made up the backbone of the economy, but other branches such as black-market trading, mercenaries for hire, and other unlawful activities also existed.

Ben followed in Rey's light footsteps as she led him into the centre of the junkyard. He noticed she kept her head down as she walked, failing to make eye contact with any of the other dubious looking characters roaming around the outpost. In the centre of the all the chaos stood Unkar Plutts's concession stand. It was here the scavengers went to trade their finds in exchange for supplies. On the outskirts of the tinpot town were several different ships, of all varying sizes and shapes.

"I can introduce you to Plutt." Rey said suddenly as she drew to a halt a few meters from the awning roofed blockhouse that Unkar operated from. "He may be able to direct you toward someone who can give you a ride."

"Right." Ben rolled up the sleeves of his sweat soaked shirt. He was dying for a change of clothes. He felt naked without a weapon. Rey had her quarterstaff. All he had was his bare knuckles. Raking his fingers through his abundant hair, he looked over to where Plutt was holding court and he frowned. "I haven't exactly got anything I can trade right now to pay for passage on a ship." He confessed.

Rey shrugged. "You must have been in more tight fixes then this one. I'm sure your name alone will be enough."

"You expect me to trade on my name? I don't think so." Ben had difficulty hiding the sour note in his voice. His legacy had been like a chokehold around his neck his entire life. He hardly wanted to claim it here. His earlier elation at the heroic rep his counterpart seemed to enjoy in this universe was wearing off now as reality set in.

Rey stared at him, clearly confused by his outburst. "Well, it's not really any of my business. After I've made the introductions, we'll part ways."

Ben felt the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs in his abdomen. Tension grew in his face and limbs as he tried to think of an excuse to keep Rey with him. He raked his fingers through his hair again in an unconscious gesture of anxiety.

"I could use a guide." He blurted out.

"A guide?" Rey looked at him oddly. "What for?"

"Um…" Ben fumbled for words, feeling like a complete idiot. He gazed back at Rey helplessly, willing his weary mind to come up with some convincing excuse. So much for the great Ben Solo, the commander of the Resistance's Starfighter corps! He was like a child fumbling around in the dark, helpless, lost and alone. He was dead on his feet and he felt himself actually swaying.

"Are you okay?" Rey asked in concern as she reached out to steady him with her hand.

"I feel a bit lightheaded." Ben confessed.

"I'm sorry. I should have thought of that. It's probably the aftereffects of heat stroke. You've had too much sun exposure." Rey gave him a compassionate smile as she steered him toward a handy rock. He leaned against it, his head swimming as dizziness overwhelmed him. "Here, drink this." She offered him her water flask.

"Thanks." Ben took it gratefully and tipped the water into his opened mouth. The glorious feeling it evoked as it slipped down his throat couldn't be described. He took another long draught, grateful when his rapid heart beat began to slow.

"Better?" Rey checked when he handed the flask back to her.

Ben nodded as he caught her concerned gaze and held it. He watched a growing blush dust her cheeks as something indefinable passed between them. Ben could feel their force bond simmering just below the surface, though he was certain Rey couldn't put a name to what she was feeling in that moment. A small frown appeared between her brows the longer they stared at each other. The force swirled around them, picking up momentum, vibrating, as it bound them together. Ben stepped forward as did Rey, their movements unconsciously mirroring each other.

"What's happening?" Rey whispered as a slight tremor rippled through her body. "Why do I feel- "

"BEN!"

A loud yell shattered their concentration. They were both left breathless and wanting as the yelling got louder and louder. Ben, breathing shallowly, reluctantly turned away from Rey to find the source of all the noise. He got the shock of his life when he saw the former stormtrooper, FN-2187, or Finn, running fast toward him.

_What the hell was going on?_

Ben stood protectively in front of Rey as Finn drew nearer. He was out of breath and panting hard when he reached them. He drew to a halt a few feet from Ben, taking a few minutes to steady his breathing before speaking.

"You made it!" He crowed, hitting Ben hard on the shoulder in an apparent show of delight.

Ben scowled, taking a defensive stance as he glared dangerously at Finn. "Back off!"

Finn's brown eyes widened in surprise. His dark skin was coated with perspiration. He was still breathing hard like he had been running a marathon. "What is wrong with you, Ben? Quit being a jerk! I've trekked across miles of desert to get here." He lowered his voice conspiratorially as if not wanting to be overheard. "I've found the Falcon."

"What?" Ben breathed.

"Its here, Ben. Old Plutt has it. Don't ask me how. Your tip off was right. Now we just need to recover it so we can get the hell out of here." Finn hissed. "Come on, we've wasted enough time on this detour as it is. If your parents hear about this…" He stopped talking suddenly as he finally seemed to notice Rey hovering behind Ben. His whole demeanour changed as a cocky grin lit up his face. "I'm Finn. And you are?"

"I'm Rey."

"Nice to meet you, Rey." Finn held out his hand toward her.

Rey-still reeling from the intense moment she had shared with Ben-shook it lightly. "Nice to meet you." She echoed him.

Ben's scowl deepened as he stepped in front of Rey again, cutting off Finn's view of her. It irked him the way Finn was looking at her. He was just about to tell the former stormtrooper to back off again, when something captured his attention, making his dark brown eyes widen in surprise. Hanging from Finn's belt was a lightsaber. He was totally caught off guard by the sight of it. Without realising what he was doing he called to it; the saber ripped off Finn's belt and flew into his hand.

"What are you playing at, Ben?" Finn demanded irritably, not seeming at all intimidated that Ben had just stolen his weapon. "We haven't got time for you to mess around trying to impress the girl with your Jedi mind tricks." He motioned toward Rey with his hand, a smile tugging at his full lips again as he glanced in her direction. "My superior charm always wins them over in the end anyway."

Ben's fingers curled around the haft of the borrowed saber. He fought the urge to ignite it. The feel of it was so familiar and alien at the same time. He wondered who it belonged to, until Finn pulled out something from a bag he had slung over one shoulder. It was another lightsaber. Ben's gaze was immediately drawn to it.

"I was keeping it safe for ya!" Finn laughed as he handed it to Ben.

Ben's grip loosened on the one that had been hanging from Finn's belt. He exchanged it wordlessly for the other one. The haft of this one felt perfect in his hand. It was well balanced, the hilt nestling firmly against his palm as he wrapped his long fingers around it. Without conscious thought, he ignited it. A blue plasma blade shot out, humming quietly like a well-tuned engine. He twirled it skilfully from side to side, his keen gaze never leaving the flickering blade.

Finn rolled his eyes. "Show off." He muttered, shaking his head. He noticed Rey gazing at Ben wonderingly. He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ben, we've got to go. Rey, it was nice meeting you."

Ben shut down the saber and returned his attention to Finn. He had to be so careful. Everything in this universe was so confusing. He didn't want to arouse Finn's suspicions, and most of all, he didn't want to scare off Rey. He could tell their intense moment had shaken her up. From what little he could gather, it appeared that in this world, he and Finn were _friends?_ He shook his head at the absurdity of that. _Finn was force sensitive. He had a saber. Was he a trained jedi? Who had trained him? Luke? Had they been trained together?_ He had so many questions, but no way of finding out the answers without revealing he was an imposter.

"You said you found the Falcon?" He said, clearing his throat.

Finn was suddenly all business. "Yeah. Follow me." He headed off, expecting Ben to follow.

Ben turned to face Rey. She was standing tensely behind him, her expression pensive. "This is where we part ways." She declared. "Have a safe journey, Ben Solo."

Rey's eyes were hazel, but not a shade that could easily be described. They were the softest brown infused with green. She blinked and the beauty of her eyes was momentarily covered by the shield of her eyelashes; naturally long and soft looking. Ben wanted to stay lost in those eyes forever.

"Come with me." He begged, holding out his hand toward her. "Please."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	18. Chapter 18

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for kindly reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Eighteen-Lapse in Control**

There was so many emotions crossing Rey's lovely face, it seemed she was struggling to settle on one. Ben breathed deeply, his chin quivering slightly as he continued to hold out his hand toward her, his warm brown eyes infused with desperation, and longing.

"I know you can feel it, Rey." Ben said huskily. "That something inside you that has always been there. And since we met, now its awake, and you're afraid."

A small gasp passed Rey's lips and there was a slight widening of her eyes. "How do you know this?" She whispered.

"Because we're connected." Ben extended his hand further, mentally willing her to take it. "I know you, Rey. Maybe better than you know yourself right now."

"That's impossible!" Rey denied hotly, but the glimmer of tears in her hazel eyes stated otherwise. "Why are you saying all this?"

Ben panicked when she began to withdraw from him. The tentative emotional connection they'd made in the short time they had been together was becoming skewed. She glared at him defensively, her lips pressed so tightly together they looked almost bloodless. "Please, Rey, listen to me. I know you're finding it hard to trust me. You've spent your whole life isolated and alone. I understand…."

"You know nothing about me or my life!" Rey snapped bitterly. "You've been raised in privilege with two loving parents and a whole galaxy that adores you. The great Ben Solo, the heir to the legacy of the Skywalkers!"

What she had described was so far removed from his own personal reality that her words were like a slap in the face. Resentment shot through him and he lost control momentarily. His lapse conjured up the force; the jolt of power ran ragged through his mind, shooting right into Rey's. She wasn't prepared for the mental onslaught of his harrowing memories. She collapsed to the ground, clutching her head in agony. Image after confusing image flashed in front of her like some crazy holo-novel, but instead of being one step removed from the character's painfilled emotions, she felt every single one of them.

Ben was horrified at what he'd done. He dropped to his knees beside her, intent on sweeping her up into his arms to comfort her and beg forgiveness, but was stopped cold when Finn's voice sounded behind him.

"What the hell has happened here?"

Rey whimpered as she slowly began to recover from the horror show of Ben's nightmarish memories. She opened her eyes, her throat closing in silent panic when she saw him crouching over her.

"_I'm sorry_." Ben projected into her mind. The anguish and guilt were clear in his tone, as well as on his face. He was like an open book, hiding nothing from her. "_I'm not the Ben Solo from this world."_

Trembling, Rey rejected the hand he offered to help her to rise, and instead scrambled to her feet on her own volition. Her gaze travelled to an exasperated Finn who was still demanding answers.

"Is anyone going to give me an explanation?" Finn grabbed Ben's arm to help him up, but Ben shrugged him off, stepping back and creating distance between them. The brush off just annoyed Finn further. "What is going on with you, Ben? You're acting weird…" He paused, his brows drawing down in a suspicious from as his gaze landed on Rey. "It's ever since you met this one." He finally continued, his tone turning accusatory. "Do you have him under some kind of spell or something, scavenger?"

Rey licked her lips, her eyes flashing to Ben. He looked at her imploringly, pleading silently for her understanding. She met his intense gaze steadily for a few seconds, before focusing her attention back on Finn. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Finn huffed out an impatient breath and put his hands on his hips. He regarded them both thoughtfully. "I'm beginning to think this damn desert heat is getting to you." He said to Ben.

"I think he might be suffering from heat stroke." Rey offered as an explanation.

Ben felt a rush of gratitude flow through him. Even though he had completely freaked her out, she appeared willing to keep what had happened a secret. Whether this was because she didn't want an interrogation from Finn, or was still trying to process what had happened, he couldn't say. She was definitely edgy. Ben expected her to flee at any moment. He wished there was a way to ditch Finn so they could have a proper conversation.

"When we get back to base, you should get checked out." Finn seemed to have accepted Rey's explanation for Ben's odd behaviour. "Now we really need to go. We've already lingered here too long." He glanced at Rey, frowning slightly again. "I'm sorry if I came across as rude. Just put it down to stress. It was nice meeting you, Rey. Maybe our paths will cross again one day." A broad smile lit up his face as he held out his hand toward Rey.

"I doubt it." Rey replied warily as she ignored his proffered hand.

Finn just shrugged, not put out at all by her rejection. He was entirely focused on getting off the godforsaken desert planet. "Come on, Ben. I've scouted around. It doesn't look like Plutt has the ship under guard or anything. It should be easy to get in the Falcon and be away before he's even aware of what's happening."

"I'm not going anywhere without Rey." Ben answered stubbornly. He saw Finn shoot him another odd look, but he just ignored him. "Rey?" He extended his hand toward her, pleading with his eyes for to take it. He waited for her to reject him just like she had Finn. A soft panic began to flower inside him. Everything depended on what she did next.

"Ben, what are you doing? Come on!" Finn said impatiently.

"_Rey."_ Ben's mouth didn't move as he projected his voice into Rey's mind. He saw the slight widening of her eyes. She was wavering, he could feel it. _"Please! I'll explain everything, I promise. You have to trust me." _

"_I don't trust anyone." _Rey's tentative response was like a butterfly fluttering gently inside his head. She was looking at him curiously, her expression disbelieving. "_Can you hear me like I can hear you? How is this happening?"_

"_I can hear you_." Ben looked at her earnestly, his hand still open and extended toward her. _"If you want to know more, then you need to take my hand." _

"_You said you weren't the Ben Solo of this world. What did you mean?" _Rey demanded again. She wasn't going to be won over so easily. "_Those things I saw…._" Her breath hitched as the enormity of what she had witnessed overwhelmed her.

"_They were my memories_." Ben cut in before she could ask anymore.

Finn had no idea what was going on during their silent exchange. Ben and Rey were standing perfectly still in front of each other-he was holding out his hand toward her-her eyes flitted from his face to his hand as if fighting some internal battle. Finn had never seen Ben act like this before, it was like he was a completely different person. He couldn't understand why his friend was suddenly so attached to this girl-this scavenger.

Ben felt like his world was slowly disappearing in front of him. Or maybe it was just him fading away. The longer Rey hesitated, the harder it was for him to breathe. His lungs were burning, his heart was hitting his chest so hard he thought it would break his ribs. All those dark memories he had unloaded on Rey, of course she would reject him. _She should_. A black hole opened up inside his head, lifting the lid on the deep void in his soul, it slowly swallowed all his hopes and dreams. The realisation of the vacuum, the nothingness, the absurdity of his existence. His anxiety turned to a waking panic and he closed his eyes in despair. An image of Snoke's throne room spilled into his mind unbidden and he began to relive the worst memory of his life-Rey's death. Ben saw himself picking up her broken body, cradling her against his chest as he called to the Jedi, both past and present, begging them to help him.

"Be with me! Help me to find her! Please…"

"_I'm here. I'm right here._"

Rey's voice rang inside his head, strong and true. Soft hands closed around his trembling fingers, stilling them. Ben opened his eyes to find Rey standing in front of him. The brilliance of her hazel eyes calmed his rapid breathing. He was mesmerised by the deep swirls of brown that coloured her pupils.

"_You saw?"_ His question was like a whisper in the wind inside her mind.

Rey nodded, her compassionate gaze never leaving his face. _"I'll come with you, Ben Solo." _There were so many questions in her eyes, but she didn't voice them aloud, not with Finn watching their every interaction.

Rey was like a bright star in his hopelessly dark universe. Ben felt like he was drowning with no chance of being saved. The blackness of his memories that had started to spread through his mind, clouding his thoughts and taking him back to places he never wanted to revisit, were banished when Rey had made the decision to reach out to him. She was his ray of light in the darkness of his past. She was his anchor, guiding him back to reality.

"We need to move!" Finn's cutting remark broke them apart. "Ben?" He demanded.

Ben felt bereft when Rey let go of his hand. He wanted to grab hers and never let go. "We're ready." He muttered, reluctantly tearing his thirsty gaze from Rey's lovely face and focusing on Finn instead.

"We?" Finn's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Why do I suddenly feel like a third wheel here? Are you ever going to tell me what's going on?"

"No." Ben replied curtly as he shot Finn an irritated glance. "You wanted to go. Let's go."

"Whatever." Finn snapped, irked by Ben's sharp tone. He stalked off in a huff, leaving a reluctant Ben and Rey to follow in his wake.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Please review!**_


	19. Chapter 19

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

_**A/N-thank you reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Nineteen-Two that are One**

Stealing the Falcon was easy. In Plutt's possession, the light class freighter had remained unused for years in Nimma outpost. Plutt paid for minimum maintenance on the ship with the intention of preparing it fully for flight only in the event that he would actually find a buyer. Unfortunately, the Millenium Falcon's shabby outer appearance did her no favours, and any potential buyer would walk right past her, completely unaware of all the modifications that Han and Chewbacca had made to her over the years.

"You're gonna fly this garbage?" Rey exclaimed in alarm when she got her first good look at the ship.

"She may look like a worn out junker, but beneath her hull she's full of surprises." Ben told her.

Rey didn't look convinced. She noticed by the dubious look on Finn's face that he wasn't convinced, either. But despite her many reservations she followed Ben up the ramp, with Finn following reluctantly behind. Ben could feel her anxiety. She was putting a lot of trust in him, and he loved her for it. No one had ever shown such blind faith in him before. Not Leia. Not Han. Never Luke. Ben had finally accepted that his family loved him in their own way, but they had never trusted him. Not completely.

"You know this ship made the Kessel Run in fourteen parsecs." Ben boasted to Rey.

"Twelve, actually." Rey corrected him absently as she sat down in the co-pilots seat as if she owned it. She started flicking switches, her fingers tracing the console as if from memory.

Ben watched her closely. Rey was acting as if she had flown this ship before. Like this had all happened before. He wondered if she was even aware of what she was doing. He approached her cautiously, settling down in the pilot's seat next to her.

"Rey, what are you doing?" He asked her softly.

His question startled Rey. She had been so involved in doing the last-minute flight checks that she wasn't even aware that he was so close. She stiffened, her cheeks flushing slightly under his intense scrutiny. "You're going to need help flying this thing." She mumbled, avoiding meeting his gaze. "Although, we might have a problem with the compressor. I think I might be able to bypass it…"

"Rey." Ben put his warm hand over her clenched fist. "How do you know where everything is on this ship? How do you even know there is a problem with the compressor?"

A slight frown marred her forehead. "I'm a pilot. I can fly this thing. I..." She paused, finally gaining the courage to meet his enquiring gaze. "I don't know. I just know that I know." She slipped her hand out from under his, seeming uncomfortable with the familiarity of his touch.

"Hey, what is she doing in my seat?" Finn suddenly demanded from behind them. "Scavenger, you're in the way."

Ben made an irritated sound in the back of his throat at the interruption. Finn was constantly getting in the way. He was about to issue a retort when Rey beat him to it.

"You're not a trained pilot. You can't fly this thing." She snapped, angered at being addressed as just the scavenger. "And I have a name."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Rey." Finn gave her a mocking smile. "And for your information I'm known as one of the best damn pilots in the- "

"Shut up, Finn." Ben cut in harshly.

Finn's thick brows drew down as he glared at Ben. Ben matched his glare. "I don't know what is going on with you, Ben. You drag me on this fool's mission to rescue this piece of space junk that you lost in a stupid bet!" He shook his head irritably as he pitched a side glance in Rey's direction. "This is all to do with some nostalgia fest you've got going on with your old man. You seem to forget we're in the middle of a war. You can explain this to General Organa when we get back to the base. I'm not taking the fall this time, buddy. No way!" He yelled, before storming off to the lower decks.

Ben took a deep breath to try and compose himself before focusing his attention back on Rey. She looked strange. Her hands were twisted in her lap, her posture tense, her expression troubled. Ben did his best to read her, but she had closed her mind to him. He reached out to her in a vain attempt to hold her hand, but Rey withdrew from him as if his touch burned.

Ben tried to mask his hurt. He thought they had moved beyond this, that they had made a connection. "Rey, what's wrong?" He asked cautiously.

"I'm getting an odd feeling." She mumbled, shaking her head. "Like déjà vu."

Ben held his breath, waiting for her to continue. It was like she was on the brink of some kind of breakthrough. "What are you thinking?" He pleaded thickly. He tentatively tried to reach out to her with his mind, but she steadfastly blocked him, intentionally or unintentionally, he wasn't quite sure. It was frustrating.

"Everything about this ship is familiar to my eyes. But I swear I've never been inside it before." Her lovely hazel eyes roamed the cockpit anxiously, before settling on Ben again. "And you…you're familiar. When our paths crossed, I felt drawn to you. Then when you forced your memories on me…" She closed her eyes briefly at the remembered pain when he'd accidentally invaded her mind.

"Rey." Ben whispered in anguish. The guilt he still felt at the horror he'd unwittingly unleashed on her would never go away. "I'm sorry, I- "

"I died." Rey cut in before he could journey down his path of self-pity. "I saw it. You were holding me…. begging the jedi to help you." Her eyes widened, a strange light giving them an amber glow. She looked past him, as if her being were somewhere else entirely.

"Please, don't!" Ben pleaded as the nightmarish memory began to materialise in his mind. He couldn't relive the horror all over again. His breath came in gasps and he felt like he was going to black out. His heart was hammering so hard it threatened to burst out of his chest. Everything spun around him and he had to grab hold of the console for support. His eyes closed in an effort to make everything slow to something his brain could cope with. But the memory refused to give up its chokehold.

_Ben was back in Snoke's throne room. He was on his knees next to Rey-his Rey-the bodies of the Elite Praetorian guards scattered around them like fallen dominoes. He inhaled a trembling breath, sweat accumulating on his hot skin. His midnight black hair clung to his scalp in damp tendrils. His dark brown eyes turned almost black with anguish as he touched Rey's icy skin with shaking fingers._

"_Rey?"_

_Her eyes stayed closed. No colour returned to her chilled skin. _

"_Rey?" _

_Ben picked her up, cradling her against his shaking body. Oxygen was slowly being ripped and snatched from lungs already scarred with a thousand unformed regrets. Every waking minute was pain. As he pressed her precious form against the vulnerable flesh of his body, his heart shattered into a million pieces. His surroundings blurred into the new sick reality that only the broken could see. He was broken._

_Vainly he tried to summon the voices of the Jedi, begging them for help. But unlike Rey in her last moments, they stayed stubbornly silent. Rey was gone. He couldn't feel her. Ben knew he didn't want to exist in a world where he couldn't find her. _

_While cradling Rey's inert body, Ben placed his hand on her stomach, and closed his eyes. He breathed deeply, evenly, but this time was slightly different. He wasn't calling out to the jedi. He was calling out to her._

"_Be with me! Be with me!" He murmured over and over. "Please, Rey! Be with me!"_

_And finally, Rey answered him…._

* * *

"Ben."

Soft lips brushed his.

"Ben."

"Rey." He whispered slowly, lost in the dream. He kissed her and his world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be.

"Ben." His name was a prayer on her sweet lips.

"Rey." He said slowly, prolonging each letter of her name as if to savour them. His senses had been seduced by her touch and he couldn't think straight.

Gentle hands clasped him on either side of his face. "I'm here. Open your eyes, idiot."

It was the word idiot that convinced him to open his eyes. He did so slowly, warily. As his gaze settled on Rey's lovely face, his heart and lungs expanded when he realised it was _his_ Rey looking back at him. It took a minute for this blessed knowledge to sink in. It still felt like a fever dream, but when she smiled at him, he knew it was real. Her smile was the prettiest thing he had ever seen, for it extended into her eyes and deep into her soul. Her smile was so vibrant and free that it made Ben's heart soar. He didn't know how this was possible, that her soul had followed him here, that she had found him again, like he had found her, but in this moment of pure joy he didn't care.

Ben leaned in for another kiss, before pulling back to just look at her, his own smile coming from deep inside to light his eyes and spread into every part of him. He murmured her name, pulling her into another kiss. It was a kiss full of need, full of hunger. Rey's arms reached up and tangled around his neck. Ben's hand drifted to her hip. It settled there and pulled her closer. Rey inhaled sharply. She was against his hard chest, chiselled to perfection. She splayed her hand against it, his breathing quickened as did hers. Ben began nuzzling her neck with delicate kisses, so faint, they were whispers. Warmth spread throughout Rey's body, the same warmth she'd felt when she had heard Ben desperately calling out to her. Her soul had been lost, adrift, in a world between worlds. But then she'd heard his voice calling to her across the vast expanse of time and space.

"_Be with me! Be with me! Rey, please be with me!" _

The dyad. Their connection. It had pulled them back together. They were two that were one. They couldn't be apart. Their souls couldn't survive without one another for long.

Ben's hands were wrapped around her waist and hers locked around his neck pulling him down slightly. When they broke apart for air, she rested her forehead against his and gathered some much-needed oxygen.

"Ben, I need to ask you something." She said breathlessly.

"Anything." He murmured, still very much distracted by her pouty lips.

"_Where in time are we_?" She asked.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	20. Chapter 20

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Home **

"I think a better question would be in what universe are we?" Ben laughed quietly. He was just so happy that _his Rey_ was back with him that he didn't care about anything else. He could face anything as long as they were together.

"What do you mean?" Rey touched his face wonderingly. She couldn't quite believe he was real. She had been lost in a timeless void-a world between worlds- until she had heard his voice pleading with her to come back to him.

"There is so much to explain." Ben rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. He allowed himself to revel in the inner peace her presence brought him. He wanted to embrace the joy of having her in his arms again. It was a miracle. Ben never wanted to let her go again, but of course reality had to impinge on the happiness of their sweet reunion. And that reality was Finn.

"What's the holdup? Why haven't we taken off…woah!" Finn stared at Rey practically sitting on Ben's lap. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Finn!" Rey's eyes lit up at the sight of her best friend. Then a faint flush bloomed on her cheeks as she realised the compromising position she was in. She hurriedly disentangled herself from Ben's arms-though he didn't make it easy, he kept pulling her back-his irritated gaze was locked on Finn. "Ben, let go." She whisper-yelled at him.

Ben reluctantly released her. He watched her smooth a stray strand of hair off her forehead before she gave Finn the benefit of one of her rare smiles. "Its so good to see you."

Finn looked confused. His dark brown eyes darted to Ben for a second before landing back on Rey. "You only saw me five minutes ago, scavenger." He responded scathingly.

"Scavenger!" Rey flinched at the dismissive way he spoke to her. Like she was nothing. This wasn't Finn she knew. He might be wearing his face and clothes, but she didn't know this cocky stranger. She felt Ben come up to stand behind her, his warms hands settling on her thin shoulders. She unconsciously leaned back into him, and she noticed Finn frown in annoyance. Was he jealous?

"Don't push it, Finn." Ben's tone was biting. He felt no allegiance toward this guy. Not like Rey did. He was struggling to remember that in this universe he and Finn were supposed to be friends.

"There is something not right here, Ben." Finn continued as if Ben hadn't even spoken. A worried frown creased his forehead. "This girl seems to have messed with your head…" His eyes drifted to Rey. "I felt a movement in the force as soon as I saw you and her together. Its strange. I didn't want to say anything…but, Ben, it's not right."

Finn's comment confused Rey. She glanced up at Ben for help, but his attention was focused on Finn. She didn't understand the dynamics between the two men. It was shocking enough that Finn was so concerned about Ben and derogatory about her, but to hear him speaking about the force as if he was familiar with it was bewildering. While Ben jumped to her defence again and tried to dismiss Finn's concerns, she took the time to study Finn closely. Everything about him looked the same, apart from one tiny thing she had missed in her joy at seeing him again-Finn had a lightsaber. A small gasp left her lips as she looked up at Ben in dismay. He heard her soft exhalation and finally met her enquiring gaze.

"_He's a jedi."_ He projected into her mind.

"_Wow!"_ Rey answered him in shock_. "What else do I need to know?" _

"_And you two have only just met in this universe_." Ben nearly lost concentration as he was answering Finn out loud and replying to Rey through their force bond.

Finn clicked his fingers impatiently in front of Ben's face. "Are you even listening to me, Ben?" He demanded.

Ben shook his head to clear it. "We don't have time for this. There is nothing wrong with me. Rey doesn't have me under any kind of spell. Let's just get out of here."

"This isn't over." Finn warned Ben as he jabbed a finger in his direction. "And I'm helping to fly this baby, not you." He fired off at Rey. He took the co-pilots seat before she could protest.

Rey watched Ben's face twist into a fierce scowl as he got ready to jump to her defence again but she shook her head at him. Ben's temper was like a slow burning fuse. Rey could feel its simmering coils through their force bond. He had to gain control over it, or the explosion would catch them by surprise, leaving them shattered and vulnerable.

"_Just stay calm!"_

"_The guy just gets under my skin. I hate the way he's treating you…" _

"_It's okay. I'm fine." _Rey did her best to reassure him. "_You said he doesn't know me. And he knows you're acting out of character. Of course, he's going to blame me and be a bit hostile. We need to be careful, Ben." _

"_Always the rational one_." Ben sighed.

"_That's me_." Rey forgot herself and reached for his hand. She noticed Finn eyeing her warily and she hastily dropped her hand back to her side. "We should go." She said aloud for Finn's benefit.

Finn frowned deepened. "You ready to go?" He said directly to Ben, deliberately ignoring Rey again.

"Yes." Ben responded curtly. He reluctantly took his place in the main pilot's seat next to Finn and got ready for take-off.

* * *

D'Qar was a verdant planet located in the Ileenium system of the Outer Rim Territories. The planet was the location of the headquarters of the Resistance. As the planet hove into view it brought back a whole host of familiar memories for Rey. During the tense flight, where Finn maintained a hostile silence, Ben brought her up to speed on what had happened to him since the moment he had woken up on Jakku and encountered her counterpart on the desert planet.

"_Does this mean my soul is occupying her body?"_ Rey didn't feel comfortable with that.

"_And I'm occupying his."_ Ben felt exactly the same. The thought of it was weirding them both out. _"You can't feel guilty, Rey_." He said through their bond when he saw her eyes grow dark.

"_I just want to go home, Ben."_ She whispered disconsolately.

"_Where is home?"_ Ben countered tiredly. _"You jumped from your universe into mine so you could save me. And you did. And I jumped to this one because I wanted to save you." _

"_I don't know…all I know is I can't lose you." _Rey's voice trembled as she spok_e._

"_But I'm not the Ben you came back to save." _

It was the first time either of them had admitted that thought aloud. A shudder rippled through Rey when she saw him glance in her direction. His eyes were full of trepidation as if afraid of her response. Rey longed to wrap her arms around him, to show him with her actions what mere words couldn't express. But Finn was there, watching their every move. Words would have to do.

"_You are!"_ Rey declared stoutly. "_The Ben who died in my arms on Exegol was fierce, brave and strong. But I didn't get a chance to know him. Not like I know you!"_ Her eyes were like liquid gold as she met Ben's gaze steadily. He wasn't even making any pretence to concentrate on flying the Falcon anymore. He was solely focused on her face instead. He was unaware of the odd glances Finn was throwing his way. Rey was all that mattered.

Ben had witnessed some of her painful memories on Starkiller base, when during his attempt to interrogate her, she'd unleashed the full power of the force to show him the truth. She showed him again now-hiding nothing, letting him see and feel everything she felt- when the Ben from her world died in her arms.

"_You can feel the difference!"_ Rey pleaded with him in his mind. "_You know the truth! I never got the chance to fall in love with him before he was taken away from me. Not like I got the chance to fall in love with you, Ben Solo." _

Ben rose slowly from his seat and walked over to Rey as if he was in a dream. He put his hands on either side of her face and gazed deeply into her open and loving eyes. Those beautiful hazel eyes, with their swirls of softest brown infused with green, they were the door to his own soul. When she touched him with gentle hands, he felt like he was reborn. In her he had found his truth and purpose. If she hadn't come into his life when she did, he would have continued on the same dark path as the Ben from her world. His redemption would have come too late. She had given all of herself to him. He had given all of himself to her. With her he was complete. He now knew that love is what makes us who we are, it is the energy that brings us life. Maybe the dyad hadn't been the one with the Ben from her world or the Rey who had existed in his, maybe it was between them all along. It had pulled them together across space and time until they had found each other in the here and now.

"My home is wherever you are." He whispered as he raised her mouth to his. "I love you."

When Ben kissed her, his brain lit on fire and the warmth spread throughout his entire body. He was addicted, he couldn't bare not to be with her, and could barely breathe when she wasn't around. In that moment he dedicated his life to being with her. He knew that if he lost her, he would lose himself. She was the half that made him whole.

"I love you." He murmured against her lips when the kiss was over, testing the words over and over again. "I love you."

Finn's face was grim as he piloted the Millennium Falcon safely into the flight bay. He powered the engines down and stood up, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for Ben and Rey to become aware of him. But they didn't. They remained wrapped in each other, gazing deeply into one another's eyes as if engaged in a silent conversation only they could hear.

Finn was forced to clear his throat. The loud sound pushed their focus back to him, both drunk on love. Finn shook his head angrily at them, before storming off toward the opened ramp.

"Finn!" Rey called after him, feeling shame colour her cheeks red.

"Ignore him." Ben's fingers brushed the bloom on her cheek. "We can get through this. Together."

"Together." Rey agreed as he reached for her hand.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	21. Chapter 21

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you very much to all those who kindly reviewed this story. Your feed back is very much appreciated. **_

**Chapter Twenty-One-Confusion**

Before Ben and Rey had even stepped off the ramp Ben was surrounded by a group of resistance fighters-a mixture of pilots and jedi. Rey was elbowed to one side as they swarmed around him, trying to claim his attention. After years spent in isolation Ben couldn't cope with this sudden influx of adulation. He felt his heart pumping madly as he looked around wildly for Rey. But he couldn't see her above the bobbing heads of the people trying to grab a piece of him. His brain was screaming at them to get back, to allow him room to breathe, but they drew closer, hands pawing at his arms and shoulders like he was a piece of meat. He hated it.

Rescue came in the form of his father's voice yelling at the animated crowd to give his son some breathing room. "Let the boy settle in!" He called out to them. "I'm sure Ben will hold court later and fill you all in on his latest adventures. But right now, I need to talk to my son. Get back to work."

Ben sighed with relief when the crowd began to reluctantly disperse. He endured a few more pats on the back, as well as a few adoring smiles from some of the women, before they left him alone with Han.

"Nothing changes, son." Han laughed as he threw his arm around Ben's neck and pulled his head down so he could ruffle his hair as if he was five years old or something.

Ben flinched at the contact. He was struggling to get used to the sudden popularity and the overwhelming display of affection from Han Solo. His own relationship with his father had been remote, and became further detached as he grew older when Han spent more and more time away from home.

"So, the tip worked out." Han grinned as he let go of Ben and clapped him on the shoulder. "Its good to have the old girl back." He sighed wistfully as he looked in the direction of the Millennium falcon. "Chewie will be pleased."

As soon as Han mentioned the Wookie by name, Chewbacca appeared, roaring in delight when he saw the Falcon. He rushed over to Ben and wrapped his furry arms around him, literally hauling him off his feet as he gave him a fierce hug.

"Alright, Chewie, let the boy breathe." Han rolled his eyes at Chewbacca's exuberant display. The Wookie set Ben down before striding over to the Falcon and disappearing up the ramp to inspect the ship for damage.

Han chuckled as he put his hand on Ben's shoulder again and steered him toward the Raddus, the MC85 Star cruiser that served as the flagship of the resistance fleet. Ben ignored his father as he looked around for Rey.

"_Where are you?"_ He called out to her in his mind.

"_With Finn."_ Rey's response came like a soft sigh. "_He's taking me to see Leia. He really doesn't trust me." _She sounded rather said, Finn was supposed to be her friend, not his. The sudden role reversal was taking its toll on both of them. Here Rey was the outsider and he was the golden boy.

"_Hold on, Rey. I'll be with you soon."_ Ben promised. His shoulders relaxed now he knew where she was. He tried to focus on Han who was talking to him in a low voice.

"You're not gonna get the same welcome from your mother, kid." Han warned him. "She's not happy that you went AWOL to get the Falcon back." He smirked as he tapped his chest. "Me…I'm ecstatic. I did try and reason with her, but I'm afraid she wasn't having it."

"Right." Ben braced himself for Leia's wrath. This welcome was going to be entirely different to the one he had experienced in his own time-line.

As he walked up the ramp with his father, he could hear raised voices. His mother, Leia's, was the most strident. She was giving Finn a serve for not following protocol and disobeying orders. Finn was doing his level best to defend himself but General Organa was not in a forgiving mood.

"Where is my son?" She demanded.

"He's here." Han called out when Ben's words got stuck in his throat.

Ben tried to prepare himself for his first glimpse of Leia in this world. His father looked pretty much the same, maybe not so many lines on his face. He appeared more happy-go-lucky in this world-much like the scoundrel he had been in his youth. In this universe he hadn't lost his only son to the dark side like his counterpart had. In fact, from the few facts Ben had managed to gather, it seemed the Ben Solo from this world was very much like his father. Ben didn't know how he felt about that. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to keep up the act. Finn was already suspicious, at the moment blaming Rey for the changes in his personality, and not attributing it to anything else.

"Ah, so there you are!" Leia said sarcastically as she swept into view. "Its no good hiding behind your father. Come here and let me look at you."

Ben felt Han shove him forward when he hesitated. Leia was holding out her hands toward him, although her expression remained stern. Ben was finding it difficult to breathe. Everything was just too overwhelming. He sucked in a deep breath as he took his mother's cool hands in his. He may tower over her, but she remained intimidating all the same. She was still the princess, her regal stance giving her away. Her abundant hair, now greying, was swept up into elaborate coils at the back of her head. She regarded Ben coolly, her brown eyes studying him closely, only a slight twitch of her lips showed she was pleased to see him.

"You continue to test my patience!" She scolded him.

"I'm sorry." Ben apologised as sincerely as he could. He hoped that would be enough.

Leia seemed confused by his apology, a frown marring her forehead as if she had expected him to put up a fight. "You can't keep skipping out on your responsibilities, Ben."

"I won't do it again." Ben murmured deferentially.

Leia's eyes opened wide as she regarded him thoughtfully. Ben winced as he realised, he was already screwing up. He wasn't giving her the expected reaction. "Good, I'm glad to hear it." She said after a long pause. "Now come here." She let go of his hands and embraced as much of him as she could. "I'm glad you're home." She murmured, closing her eyes.

"Me, too." Ben returned her hug, his own eyes closing as he tried to contain his emotions.

Leia took a few seconds to compose herself when she let him go. "Sit." She ordered him. "I'm getting a crick in my neck from looking up at you. Why did you have to get so tall?" The smiled that followed lit up her whole face, making her appear years younger. "And maybe you can introduce me to your young companion. Finn seems to be under the impression that she has you under some kind of spell." She quirked an eyebrow, showing how ridiculous she thought that idea was.

"That's not what quite what I meant, General." Finn muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Han smirked. "Its most likely the other way around." He scoffed.

Leia rolled her eyes in her husband's direction before focusing her attention on Rey. "Can I ask your name?"

"I'm Rey." Rey answered politely.

"Rey?" Leia waited for her to expand on her name.

"Its just Rey." Rey's gaze darted nervously to Ben.

Ben could feel her trepidation flooding through their force bond. The soft panic began to grow as she became anxious about what was going to happen next. Ben immediately went to her side and reached for her hand. She hesitated before letting him take it, clearly worried about what Leia and Han would think. But Ben was past caring about that. Finn had already seen them kissing. It was pointless hiding their relationship. How they were going to explain it when they were supposed to only have just met was another matter. From the corner of his eye he saw Finn give his mother a look which clearly said- 'I told you so.' Ben scowled in annoyance.

"You can leave us now, Finn." Leia said when she noted the irritated look on her son's face. "I know Rose is anxious to see you."

"Of course." Finn's tone and expression softened at the mention of Rose. "I'll go and find her."

Leia waited until Finn had left the bridge before she spoke again. "So, explain to me again how you two met?" She asked carefully.

Ben tightened his fingers around Rey's when he felt her tense. "I thought Finn had already told you."

"He did… but I want to hear your version." Leia levelled her gaze with Ben's.

"On Jakku." Ben explained with a shrug. "I got stranded in the desert and Rey found me."

Leia's knowing gaze drifted to Rey. "And what were you doing on Jakku?" She asked Rey.

Rey kept her breathing slow as she tried to cover up her rising panic. Leia was suspicious, she could sense it. "I live there."

Leia's reaction was a slight widening of her eyes. "Were you born there?"

"Why are you interrogating her?" Ben cut in. He knew how painful it was for Rey to talk about her past.

"Ben!" Han chided him as he came up to stand behind his wife and put his hands on her shoulders.

Leia sagged against Han for support. "It's okay." She said, smiling up at him briefly to reassure him. She turned back to Rey. "I apologise, Rey. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm fine." Rey said quietly. "I understand. You don't know me. Of course, you have questions."

"Rey." Ben squeezed her fingers. She was always so forgiving. "You don't have to."

Rey squeezed his hand back to show she was coping. "I was left on Jakku when I was very young. I survived by scavenging parts from the junk fields of the Starship Graveyard. I sold the parts I scavenged to Unkar Plutt-the Falcon was under his ownership. I was scavenging when I came across your son lost in the desert."

"You were abandoned on Jakku?" Leia's hand was at her throat. "What happened to your mother?"

"I don't…" Rey tried to keep her breathing even. So long as she appeared nonchalant, no pinkness in her cheeks to betray her, everything would be fine. She felt Ben move closer, almost as if he was trying to shield her from the emotional pain which Leia's questions had unleashed inside her. His protective presence was comforting but did little to ease the tightness in her chest. "I don't know what happened to my parents." She faltered.

"Can we stop with the questions now?" Ben stated harshly as he looked at his parents.

Leia nodded. She appeared shaken. She turned to face Han and put a hand on his chest. "Contact Luke. Tell him he needs to come back right now. Tell him…" She paused, her compassionate gaze darting to Rey. "Tell him it's as he predicted…they've found each other."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review!**_


	22. Chapter 22

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Two-Luke Skywalker**

Ben's tension communicated itself to Rey. He was ambivalent about facing his uncle. The last time hadn't gone so well. He could remind himself a hundred times that this was a different universe, that this Ben's experiences with Skywalker were going to be completely different. The Luke from this world was sharing the burden of leading the resistance with Leia. He hadn't run off and gone into self-isolation like his counterpart.

"You need to separate the two of them." Rey counselled him.

"I know you're right in here." Ben said, tapping his forefinger on the side of his head. "But I can't in here." He used the same finger to stab himself in the heart.

Rey sighed and shifted closer to him, resting her head on his broad shoulder tiredly. "I understand you feel conflicted about him. And you have every right to." She replied. "But you can't let bitterness cloud your judgement. You have to face him with an open mind."

Ben's expression softened as he kissed the top of her head. He knew that everything Rey was saying was right. It was his old fears of rejection making him apprehensive. He had to choose to be brave and instead of letting his fear push him back down the dark path of regret. He was going to make the right choice this time, he wanted to be the man that Rey believed he could be.

"I'm ready for this." He reassured her, breathing deeply.

Rey sat up straighter and looked at him. To her relief he seemed more resolved now, more focused on navigating his way through this difficult meeting. She felt his confidence flowing through their bond and it eased her own nerves. Her concerns were different to his, but she still had them. She had been secretly fretting about Leia's cryptic comment and what it could mean. There had been no time to ask her what she meant as one of the resistance pilots claimed Leia's attention with an urgent update. Han had disappeared at the same time as his wife, probably to contact Luke.

"Rey, you're not alone." Ben was the one comforting her now. As much as she tried to hide her reservations from him, he always seemed able to break through the barriers she put up to hide behind. "We're in this together."

"I know." Rey rested her head on his shoulder again and closed her eyes.

She was just so tired. Their souls had been bouncing around from one uncomfortable place to another. They had shifted from one dimension into another, with no room to breathe. For her, she could see an opportunity to be brave or move forward with the least of her fears like a leaf in a fast-flowing river. Sometimes she did flow like the leaf, but she felt most comfortable when she could just stop and take control. Then she could direct her own course when her fears threatened to drag her under. But right now, she wasn't in control. All she could do was cling to Ben and hope for the best.

* * *

Rey felt someone nudge her awake. She sat up, feeling slightly disorientated. She hadn't even realised she had fallen into an uneasy doze. She took a deep breath, glancing upwards to find Ben looking down at her in concern. He was the one who had woken her up. He had a glass of water in his hand. Rey took it from him gratefully and drank the cool liquid greedily, enjoying the feel of it sliding down her parched throat. When she was finished, she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.

"Thanks." She murmured as she passed the empty glass back to Ben.

"I didn't want to wake you but Finn was just here." Ben informed her tensely. "Skywalker has just landed."

"Oh." Rey felt her stomach begin to churn. She ran her fingers through her hair, finding that some of it had come undone from its bindings. She tried to pull it up again but found the fastenings had snapped. "Damn." Easy tears welled in her eyes and she threw the fastener away angrily. "I must look a mess."

Ben's eyes were soft with love as he gazed down at her. "You look beautiful."

There was such sincerity in his voice that Rey couldn't help but believe him. "You're biased." She muttered as she felt her cheeks grow warm at his compliment.

Ben regarded her thoughtfully as he held out his hand to help her to rise. He was still feeling apprehensive, yet no longer afraid to face his uncle. Rey's words had given him the jolt he needed to cope with the storm coming his way. The feel of her small fingers curling around his gave him courage. "Ready?" He asked.

"Yes." Rey's smile was fleeting as she stood steadfastly by his side while they waited for Luke to arrive.

* * *

Luke walked toward them, in all his grandeur. His tailored white robes, marking him as a Jedi master, swirled gently around him as he moved. His chiselled jaw lifted with a proud, pleasant smile of greeting. His eyes were a sparkling blue. They brimmed with life and were unmarked by the bitterness of his counterpart. His soft, feather like grey hair was swept back from his brow.

"You must be Rey. I've been waiting a long time to meet you." He said warmly as he reached out and took both her hands in his. "I'm Luke."

Rey was taken aback by the warmth of his greeting. "I…" She fumbled for something to say and failed miserably.

Luke didn't seem to mind. His smile only increased in warmth as he let go of her hands and gestured for her to sit. "Ben." He said, nodding at his nephew.

Ben's brown eyes flickered with confusion. Like Rey he was rendered speechless by this different version of Luke. He was almost unrecognisable as the bitter old man they had both come to know.

When they were all comfortably seated, Luke's expression turned serious. "I know this must all be frightening and confusing for you." He directed this comment to Rey. "I'm sorry for that."

"I'm okay." Rey answered carefully.

Luke nodded as he looked at her appraisingly. "You have a tenacity and inner strength that many don't possess. That is something to admire." His gaze moved to Ben, who was sitting rigidly by Rey's side. "I can sense your apprehension, Ben. Why so quiet? I thought you would have a million questions."

Ben's jaw pulsed as he tried to meet Luke's steady gaze. The last thing he wanted to do was give himself away. He cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't betray his seesawing emotions. "I just want everyone to stop being so cryptic and explain what this is all supposed to mean."

Luke's face relaxed into another smile. "Of course, forgive me. I know this must be bringing up painful memories for you, Ben. But I think it would help Rey if we gave her a little insight into the past." He quirked an eyebrow when Ben didn't verbally respond. "Would you like to tell her…or shall I?" He asked hesitantly.

Ben felt like he was naked and all his insecurities were revealed to the world. He tried to maintain an aura of calm to show Skywalker he knew exactly what he was talking about, but he struggled. He didn't think it was safe enough for him to verbalise a response, so he gave a careless shrug of his shoulders to indicate to Luke that he should go ahead.

This seemed to be enough for Luke. He sat back in his seat and templed his fingers together. He concentrated his attention on Rey as he spoke. "What no one knows apart from Leia, Han, and I, is that Ben was the subject of force visions before he was even born. Even when he was in the womb, Leia could feel him through the force. She likened him to a living band of light that occasionally dimmed and was sometimes thrust through with a vein darkness. It concerned her enough for her to seek my counsel. At the time I was training a new group of students in the ways of the jedi." His focus shifted to Ben when he noticed a fine tremor ripple through his nephew's body. "I know this is hard for you to hear, Ben. Would you like me to stop?"

"No." Ben said roughly. He reached for Rey's hand under the table and gripped it tightly for reassurance.

Luke nodded gravely before continuing. "After spending time with my sister, I came to share her concerns. Something was affecting Ben, but we didn't know how or where it was coming from. The only advice I could give Leia was to wait and see. She was monitored carefully throughout the pregnancy, but what was ailing Ben wasn't physical."

Rey drew Ben's hand into her lap under the table as she felt another fine tremor ripple through his body. Luke noticed too and paused in his story, checking again with Ben whether it was okay to proceed. Ben just jerked his head in response.

"During the early months of his life Ben was prone to crying. Leia tried her best to soothe him, but even she, with all the good will in the world, struggled to comfort him. Whatever was plaguing him was only something she could sense through the force, but couldn't see." Luke sighed as he cast a compassionate glance in Ben's direction. "Surprisingly enough it was Han who had seemed able to soothe him the most. I remember on one of my many visits, waking up in the night to find Han walking up and down telling his son about his latest adventure." A soft smile lit up Luke's face at the memory.

Ben's lips parted in a small gasp when he heard this. The memory may be a happy one for Luke, but for Ben it was the complete opposite. He sucked in a deep breath in an attempt to compose himself.

"I remember being there when Ben took his first few steps and said his first words." Luke told Rey with a wistful smile. "Those were happy times."

Rey glanced at Ben in concern when he clenched her hand too tightly. His own childhood memories were anything but. To hear that his counterpart experienced the opposite had to hurt.

Luke's smile disappeared and his face became grave again as he carried on talking. "As Ben grew his powers began to manifest themselves. I remember when he first sent a toy flying across the room, instinctively harnessing the power of the Force through the rage of a small toddler." He frowned slightly. "His sleeping patterns became more erratic the older he grew. Even Han was struggling to comfort him now. Sometimes he didn't sleep properly for days. It was beginning to affect his wellbeing and we were all deeply worried. Leia and I were of the same mind-although Han took some convincing-an evil presence was tormenting Ben. The darkness we sensed building inside him was not coming from him. Something or someone was invading his dreams and tormenting him."

Rey was horrified. It was her grandfather. Palpatine-or to give him his Sith name-Darth Sidious. The Luke and Leia in her world had never even considered this possibility. Instead they had mistakenly assumed the darkness building in Ben was of his own making. Their past history with Vader had clouded their judgement and had closed their eyes to what was happening right in front of them. But this Luke, this Leia, even Han had seen beyond their familial history. Instead of believing that Ben was another Anakin, they had taken the time to nurture and care for Ben instead of coming to fear that he was destined to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather. One glance at Ben showed her he was thinking the same thing. His eyes were wet with tears.

"I took it upon myself to harness Ben's powers. He had a pure raw force I had never seen before. When he was around eight, I started training him properly. He needed to learn how to manage those powers. It was also then that Leia and I decided to tell him the truth about his lineage. He needed to know about Vader." Luke closed his briefly. "It was the most difficult conversation I've ever had. It brought up many painful memories of my own, but he had to know."

Rey blinked as she realised her own face was wet with tears. She looked at Ben again. His focus was solely on his uncle. He was looking at Luke like he'd never seen him before.

Luke pulled himself together enough to continue. "It may have been a difficult conversation, but it led to Ben opening up to me about a lot of things he had been keeping to himself. The voices invading his dreams had gotten stronger. He was afraid. The conflict was already beginning to build in him. As a consequence, I taught him to meditate, to find a place within himself where the bad dreams couldn't follow."

There was a short silence as Ben and Rey took a few moments to absorb all this new information.

"Would you like me to stop?" Luke asked Ben directly after a while. "Or would you like to tell her?"

Ben shook his head again. "You do it." He said gruffly.

"Okay, if you're sure." Luke gave his nephew another compassionate smile before resuming talking. "The meditating worked to a degree. It gave Ben a sense of control, which he sorely needed. Han was also teaching him to fly, which was also proved a good distraction. Leia wondered whether Ben should come and join me and my students full time, but I was against this idea. He had shown no interest in becoming a jedi. He wanted to be a pilot like his father. And he proved to be a damn good one, too!" A proud smile lit up Luke's face before it became shadowed. "But then things took a downward turn. Due to Han and Leia's busy lives, they couldn't always be there for their son. So, after a long discussion, it was decided that Ben would come to me after all."

Ben's eyes turned bleak when his uncle revealed this. He hung his head, swallowing thickly as he braced himself for the worst.

"It proved to be a good thing." Luke continued. "Now I was able to give Ben my full attention. On the outside, he was just like Han. The other students gravitated toward him right away. But his roguish charm was just an act to cover up the conflict he was battling inside. I monitored him closely, and he trusted me enough to confide in me."

Ben's head shot up at this revelation. His own experiences had been completely different. Through Skywalker's training, Ben developed a strong sense of devotion to the ways of the Jedi. He had kept a calligraphy set filled with Jedi insights in his quarters during his time with his uncle. As master and apprentice, they travelled across the galaxy accumulating artefacts and learning more about the ancient Jedi in their quest to restore the Order to its former glory. But the Luke he knew had tried to shield Ben from the secrets of their family. However, his efforts to protect his nephew from the dark side left Ben feeling isolated from those around him, and in his isolation the dark voices twisted his fears into reality. It was during this period in Ben's life that he came into contact with Snoke, a mysterious Force user who possessed a powerful connection to the dark side. It had been the beginning of his unravelling.

Luke was unaware of the thoughts floating around Ben's head as he carried on with the story. "It was around this time that Ben started talking about the girl."

A cold ripple sent shivers down Rey's spine as she turned to lock eyes with Ben. Luke watched them with a knowing look. "And there it is." He said, nodding as if their intense look had confirmed something for him. "I remember finding him wandering around in the middle of the night once, half asleep and walking like he was in a dream- "_What are you doing up so late?" I asked. "She's freezing," He said. "She needs a blanket. Its cold at night in the desert." _

Rey felt like the air had been sucked from her lungs. How could she have forgotten? It was one of her first nights alone on Jakku after her parents abandoned her. She had been so frightened, so alone. There was no shelter. No warmth. She remembered pressing her back against a hard rock, her frail arms wrapped around her body as cold tremors wracked her body. Somehow, she had fallen into a fitful doze, her anguished tears frozen on her cheeks. The next morning, she had woken up with a thick blanket wrapped around her with no idea of where it had come from.

A solitary tear dribbled out of the corner of her eye as she stared at Ben. Their connection had been there from the beginning. How could she not have known that? "That was you." She whispered to him.

"I thought it was just a dream…just like all the others." Ben said thickly. "But the ones of you were like a light among the darkness."

"Yes." Luke said, directing their attention back to him. "You were his light, the one thing keeping the darkness at bay. I encouraged him to focus on those intermittent dreams of you, to hold them close to his heart." His face relaxed into a warm smile as he looked at Rey with something akin to affection. "I looked into his heart and knew then that one day he would find you. And now it has come to pass."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! There is more to this chapter. I had to cut it in half. It was going on so long, LOL **__** I didn't want to flood everyone with too much information all at once. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Please review.**_


	23. Chapter 23

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for reviewing this story!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Three-The Prophecy**

"Do you remember our journey to Elphrona, Ben?" Luke asked after a while.

All Ben could do was nod. During the early years of his apprenticeship with his uncle, Lor San Tekka, a traveller noted for his expertise on the Jedi Order, informed Luke about the discovery of an ancient Jedi outpost on the planet Elphrona. Embarking on a mission to investigate San Tekka's findings, Luke brought Ben with him, knowing that, like himself, his nephew was interested in discovering Jedi artefacts. It was during this time that Ben was telepathically contacted by Snoke without Luke's knowledge. Ben hadn't trusted his uncle enough to tell him about this communication. He wondered now how different things would have been if he had.

"I know this is bringing up difficult memories for you, Ben." Luke said sympathetically when he saw the troubled expression on his nephew's face. "Do you want me to stop?"

"I'm okay." Ben mumbled. He felt Rey squeeze his fingers gently and he was reassured.

Luke's gaze lingered on his nephew's face for a moment before he resumed speaking, his attention now on Rey. "What I'm going to say next might be troubling to hear." He paused, his tone turning serious. "It was while we were on Elphrona that Ben was first telepathically contacted by Supreme Leader Snoke."

A small gasp left Rey's lips as she felt Ben jerk beside her. She used her other hand to rub the top of his in an attempt to soothe him. She could only imagine how devastating this was for him to hear. Even in this universe his counterpart hadn't managed to escape Snoke's manipulations.

"Ben was so alarmed at the voice whispering in his head that he immediately came to me." Luke revealed.

Ben's eyes went wide with shock. Each new revelation was chipping away at the hurt burning inside him. In this world Skywalker was attentive, empathetic and completely focused on helping his family. There appeared to be a deep trust between master and apprentice. This Ben wasn't isolated the way that he had been.

"What did you do?" Rey whispered.

"I decided to abandon the search for the artefacts and resolved to leave Elphrona immediately and return home. But we had trouble along the way. We ran into a group of marauders affiliated with the dark side. They called themselves the Knights of Ren and claimed that the jedi outpost and its contents belonged to them."

Ben sank lower in his seat as his mind drifted back into his own dark past when he had encountered Ren and his men. The confrontation had gone down slightly different to how Skywalker was describing it now. Ben had watched as his uncle drew his green-bladed lightsaber while rejecting Ren's claim to the property of the Jedi Order. Luke had also introduced himself as the last Jedi, and therefore, the rightful owner of everything that belonged to the Order. It was a status he did not intend to hold onto for long, however, and with that he had looked in Ben's direction-a Jedi-in-training. Ben remembered activating his own blue-bladed lightsaber, but remained out of the ensuing fight, as Luke instructed him to protect San Tekka.

Despite Ben's concern for his uncle's safety, Skywalker prevailed against the Knights, none of whom were able to harm or overpower him in the Force. Ren conceded the battle, accepting Skywalker's offer to leave with his Knights injured but alive. He did, however, turn his attention to Ben who was not only strong like Skywalker, but also possessed an inherent connection to the dark side, not unlike Ren and his Knights. Luke issued his final warning when Ren attempted to convert Ben to the dark side, but as the Knights departed in defeat, the dark warrior told Ben to seek them out when he was ready to learn their ways.

How Ben wished that the Luke Skywalker from his universe had been like the one from this world. Things would have turned out so differently. He fell into a dark mood as old hurts began to haunt him. His bitter feelings were like old scars that had been ripped open. Every one of those scars was like some terrible pain.

"Don't dwell on old hurts, Ben." Rey pleaded through their force bond when she felt his dark mood filter down to her.

Ben looked her way and became lost in her compassionate gaze. Those painful memories, they were just the same as nightmares. They vanished when he was awake, when he was right there in the present moment, with her. He focused all his attention on her lovely face, letting the wonderful feel of her love surround him like a comforting blanket.

If Luke was aware of what passed between them, he didn't comment on it. Instead he continued talking, his voice deep and even. He described the battle that had ensued with the dark side users. "With us both fighting side by side, we soon overcame them." He said with a small smile. "They were no match for us. I knew then that it was no co-incidence that we had crossed paths with them as soon as Snoke started to drip his poison into Ben's ear. After we defeated the marauders, we left Elphrona and went straight to Han and Leia."

Luke stopped talking as he reached for a glass of water to soothe his dry throat. He offered refreshments to Ben and Rey but they were too worked up to eat or drink, so both refused.

"Han and Leia were devastated to learn how much Ben was suffering, but we now had an answer for the darkness that we'd been sensing around him since before he was born. It had a name…and its name was Snoke." Luke's face turned hard when he mentioned the Supreme Leader's name. "He had made his move, but what he didn't know was that we were very much aware of the game he was playing. And there was no way we were going to stand for it!" Luke's hand curled into a fist.

"What happened then?" Rey asked because Ben couldn't.

"Our priority was Ben. We needed to quieten that insidious voice in his head. He was doing his best to fight it. He's strong with the force." Luke looked at Ben with pride. "Through meditation he was able to strengthen his mental barriers. By day the voice was like a whisper in the wind and he could ignore it, but the night was a different matter."

Ben hung his head. Luke was right. The nights had always been the worst. He craved sleep, but he could never rest. He could neither run from the voice or hide from it in his tormented dreams.

"It was the night where we had to focus our attention. Ben was suffering terribly with lack of sleep. It was taking a huge toll on him. The only time he could relax was when the girl haunted his dreams. She was his light in the darkness. I told him to focus on this…_on you_." Luke revealed, his expression softening as he looked at Rey.

Rey felt Ben's fingers lace through hers. They turned to look at each other, their eyes mirroring the same thoughts and feelings. _"Oh, Rey_." He whispered through their force bond. "_Rey."_

"The connection between you was something that hadn't been encountered before. We resolved to find you so we could explore this connection further, to try and understand it. I decided to consult the ancient jedi texts while we searched." Luke revealed. "But it wasn't going to be easy. We were working with very little information. Ben only had glimpses of your life. You could have been anywhere in the galaxy, on any desert planet. The easiest way to do this was to split up. Han and Chewie went one way while Ben and I went another. We cast our net wide, but the search proved fruitless. War was brewing. The New Republic Senate refused to take the threat of the emerging First Order seriously, so that had to become my new focus. Leia and I formed a band of soldiers-the Resistance. Ben's exploits, the heroism he showed in battle, soon became known far and wide. He became our figurehead, rallying much needed allies to our cause."

"I think that would be you. You're the famous Luke Skywalker." Ben said gruffly. The picture that his uncle painted of the Ben Solo of this world was so far removed from who he was, that it was like he was listening to Luke describe a total stranger.

"I'm an old man now." Luke chuckled darkly. "You have your father's heart and your mother's fearless determination. It all makes for an intoxicating mix. I think the roguish charm doesn't hurt, either."

Ben felt his skin grow warm at the veiled compliment from his uncle. "I don't think so." He muttered.

"I think your young companion would agree with me." Luke said with a hint of amusement in his tone. "What do you say, Rey?"

Rey felt a faint blush bloom on her cheeks when Luke's amused gaze fell on her. She shrugged helplessly; afraid her voice would give her away if she dared to answer.

Luke didn't seem to expect a response. His expression turned serious again as he settled back in his seat. He returned to his story. "Even though my focus had shifted I never stopped researching. Any free time I had was spent studying those old books. Privately Ben was still suffering, but he hid it well. Only those closest to him-me, Leia and Han-knew about the secret burden he was carrying. You remained his only source of comfort during his darkest hours, but still your whereabouts eluded him. And then two things happened-first, Ben and Han lost the Falcon when they went to visit one of our contacts, Maz Kanata. One of her associates, Gannis Ducain, was left to guard the Falcon. But Ducain stole it. Secondly, I came across some interesting information in the one of the ancient texts…a prophecy."

Rey and Ben tensed simultaneously. Their nerves were on a knife edge. They were already beginning to suspect what this 'prophecy' entailed.

Luke was watching their reactions very closely. Their synchronised movements seemed to confirm something for him. An eager light shone in his blue eyes as he sat forward in his seat, his intense gaze focused on Ben and Rey. "A prophesized dyad." He said succinctly. "The pairing of two force sensitive individuals, making them one in the force. It stated the power of a dyad was as strong as life itself, and the individuals who formed a dyad would share a connection that spanned across space and time. It was foretold that this dyad, unseen for generations, would be realized during a time of great crisis. I knew instinctively then that it was realised within you both. I knew your unique bond would draw you together during a pivotal moment, and that will be the key to winning this war."

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Please review.**_


	24. Chapter 24

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_A/N-thank you for the awesome reviews! _

**Chapter Twenty-Four-Voe**

Luke had been drafted into the meeting with Leia and the other members of the resistance. Ben and Rey were glad of the breather as they tried to absorb everything that Luke had told them. Both of them were feeling the tension, the overwhelming stress of what was going to happen next. Rey was suffering the most. In this universe Ben had a whole network of people supporting him, but all she had was Ben himself. Even though his family had been completely accepting of her, she wondered whether they would feel that way once they found out the truth of her familial connections. It made her afraid, and this fear communicated itself to Ben.

"You're not alone." Ben told her as he drew her toward him. Rey rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Rey." He whispered her name like a prayer as he gently trailed his fingers along the curve of her spine in a soothing motion.

Even with Ben's tender ministrations the stress continued to spread through Rey's mind like ink on paper. She took in deep, ragged breaths as she tried to fight her rising panic.

"Rey, I'm right here with you." Ben reminded her again when he felt the tenseness in her muscles that made her more like a mannequin then a woman of flesh and bone. He empathized with how she was feeling but he had learned the only way out is to remove yourself from things that scare you, to find a place where you can reclaim your mind. Rey had taught him that. Now she needed to learn to do it for herself. "Let's get out of here." He said, taking her hand.

"Where are we going to go?" Rey asked in confusion.

"I'm going to take you to our safe place." Ben smiled at her tenderly as a dawning realization crossed her face.

"The Falcon." Rey murmured as she let him help her to rise.

"Yeah." Ben held tightly to her hand as he took the lead and led her off the Raddus. But unfortunately, they didn't get far. The meeting seemed to be over. As soon as he and Rey reached the end of the ramp, a swarm of people, some of the same ones who had claimed his attention when they had first arrived on D'Qar, surrounded Ben in an eager attempt to get a piece of him. Rey lost her hold on Ben's hand and found herself pushed to one side. She was once again on the outskirts.

"Did you expect anything else?"

Rey whirled around at the sound of the voice. It belonged to a male and was strikingly familiar. "Poe?" She said, staring at him in surprise.

"Ah, my reputation precedes me." Poe boasted, his brown eyes twinkling in amusement. "You're the girl Finn was telling me about."

Rey glanced around for Finn. He was nowhere in sight. She guessed he was still with Leia and Luke; he certainly wasn't amongst Ben's fan club. Rey returned her attention to Poe, trying her best to dampen her enthusiasm at seeing him again. This guy didn't know who she was here, they weren't friends. She was a stranger to him.

"You okay?" Poe asked, frowning slightly. "You look a bit peaky."

"I'm fine." Rey said quickly.

"Are you sure?" Poe checked. His face was full of concern as he brushed his fingers through his wavy hair. "You should get something to eat. I doubt flyboy over there has even considered that you might be hungry. He's easily distracted, especially by a pretty face." He motioned toward the crowd surrounding Ben.

Rey blanched when she turned in Ben's direction to find a particularly striking female standing right at the head of the group. She was leaning close to Ben, whispering something in his ear. Even though Rey could feel through their bond that Ben was struggling with all this unwanted attention and something else she couldn't decipher, it hurt to see him fawned over by another girl. Especially a girl as stunning as that one-her white hair was pulled back from her face in a thick braid, her flawless brown skin had the hue of dark roast coffee beans, falling smoothly over a bone structure that Rey could only envy.

"That's Voe." Poe didn't bother hiding his sarcasm. "One of Luke's apprentices. She's the head cheerleader of Solo's fan club. Just ignore her. Voe likes to show off."

Voe? Where had she heard that name before? Rey certainly didn't recognize the girl but her name was familiar. She tuned Poe out as she concentrated on her force bond with Ben. It was only when she opened herself up to it completely that she felt his dread pushing against her like an invisible gale. She tried to see his face above the bobbing heads of his admirers, and when she did get a brief glimpse, she saw that his teeth were locked tight together. He was barely holding on.

Rey left Poe and pushed herself into the group, rudely elbowing some of them out of her way in her desperation to get to Ben. He was about to lose it, and she had to reach him before he exploded. With sheer force of will she made it through the throng. As soon as Ben saw her, he shoved Voe to one side and rushed over to Rey, pulling her against him, his muscled arms winding around her in a tight bear hug. Rey could tell by his taut face and muscles that he was reliving some kind of painful memory and it had to do with that girl, Voe. The crowd had gone quiet now as they watched in stunned silence as Rey carefully guided Ben away from them in the direction of the Falcon.

"Hey, what's going on?" Poe's confused voice came from behind them.

Rey felt irritation wash over. Why couldn't everyone just leave them alone! She needed to get Ben to a safe place. And the only safe place right now was the Falcon. He was seriously about to lose it.

"We're fine." Rey called over her shoulder as she steered Ben toward the ship.

"You don't look fine." Poe wasn't giving up. He darted in front of them, stopping Rey and Ben in their tracks. "What's wrong with you, Solo?" He demanded curtly.

From the unsympathetic tone in Poe's voice, Rey got the feeling that he wasn't Ben's biggest fan. He hadn't been part of the group that was fawning all over Ben. And he called Ben 'Solo' and not by his first name.

"Nothing's wrong!" Ben said through gritted teeth. "Just leave us alone!"

Poe's eyes narrowed. "Finn said there was something off with you. But I can't see anything different. You're still the arrogant hotshot! That arrogance is gonna cost us all one day."

"Can you please just give us some space?" Rey cut in desperately.

"No can do, darlin'" Poe said stubbornly. "I wouldn't hitch your star to his. He'll only disappoint you."

The dread crept over Rey like an icy chill, numbing her brain. The dread was emanating from Ben. In this frozen state of mind, she felt unable to do anything. Whatever painful memory that Voe woman had dredged up had pulled Ben straight back into the darkness of his past. A confrontation between him and Poe was imminent.

"I'm giving you one last warning to back off." Ben snapped at Poe.

"What if I don't?" Poe challenged him.

Rey knew there was no avoiding it. Ben's lightsaber appeared in his hand before she could even blink. _"Ben, no!"_ She cried through their force bond. _"Stop!"_

"I've got your back, Ben." Voe appeared and took a defensive stance beside Ben, her own yellow saber activated and ready.

Seeing Voe beside him seemed to send Ben reeling. His blue lightsaber fell from nerveless fingers and clattered noisily to the floor. Rey quickly scooped it up and hid it underneath her belt. She saw Voe shut her own blade down as she stared at Ben in confusion. In the distance she noticed Ben's admirers looking in their direction uneasily.

"Hey, there's nothing to see here!" Finn appeared out of the throng and ordered them to disperse. He marched up to Poe and glared at him. "What do you think you're doing, Dameron?" He demanded under his breath. "I said keep an eye on the scavenger, not wind Ben up."

Poe matched Finn's glare. "It's not the girl you need to worry about. Its him." He sneered before stalking off toward the Raddus.

Finn frowned as his gaze settled on Ben. Ben was barely aware of him or anything else. Rey saw Voe reaching out to Ben with her hand, but he deflected it as if her very presence pained him.

"What is wrong with you, Ben?" Voe faltered. "Finn, do you know something?" She implored.

"Go and find Skywalker, Voe." Finn ordered her.

Voe opened her mouth to protest, but then seemed to think better of it. She hurried away, glancing over her shoulder at Ben often as she did so.

"I don't know what the hell you've done to him, scavenger." Finn said brutally. "But I'm not letting it continue." He approached her, his expression stern and forbidding. It was only then that Rey noticed the cuffs he was holding. Finn was going to arrest her.

"No!" Ben seemed to come back to life. His arm shot out; the fingers on his left hand extended. He used the force to blast Finn backwards. Finn rose up in the air, his arms flailing madly as he tried to control his flight. He landed heavily a few feet away, completely winded. "Rey, run!" Ben grabbed her hand, towing her with him as he raced toward the opened ramp of the Falcon.

* * *

The same dread as before crept down Rey's spine like a careful spider leaving a trail of silk. Her stomach was full of lead; her feet set in concrete as Ben practically dragged her up the ramp after him. He closed it after them, pushing her into the co-pilots seat as he began to power the Falcon up. Rey's mind was empty, all she could do was join him in his mad flight, and pray that things fell into place as they made their escape.

* * *

Ben was acting on auto-pilot as he punched in some co-ordinates and the Falcon jumped into hyperspace. He fell backwards in his seat, closing his eyes, his breaths coming in short, ragged bursts. Seeing Voe again-so vital, so alive-had sent him spiraling back into the darkest parts of his past. The dread he felt upon seeing her face had squeezed all the air out of his lungs. The irony of seeing her flirt with him, when the girl he knew hated his guts, wasn't lost on him. The Voe from his world had been an ambitious and aggressive Jedi who was jealous of his ease with mastering the Force. Voe would become angry and ashamed about her inability to best him, things that Jedi were not meant to get angry about. She was a fiery and impulsive Jedi who tended to instigate fights.

Voe was returning from a mission with her fellow Jedi, Tai and Hennix, the night Luke's jedi temple was razed down to the ground. After landing their starship, Verity, Voe found that she was unable to sense anyone on the ground. However, Tai was able to sense the presence of Ben. When Ben crossed paths with them, he tried to tell them that his uncle had tried to kill him in his sleep and that he believed the other Jedi were now dead. Due to Voe's animosity toward him, she did not believe him. Despite Tai attempting to act as peacemaker, Voe and Hennix drew their lightsabers. Voe was the first to attack, but Ben froze her in mid-air, before throwing her into Hennix.

Ben had escaped in his starship the Grimtaash, but Voe and the others pursued him in their own starship, Verity. The pursuit led to another confrontation on Elphrona. When they caught up with Ben, they engaged in another lightsaber duel. Ben fled on top of a high rock. Giving chase, Voe used her Force powers to Force jump after Ben. Unable to keep up with Voe, Hennix urged her to stop and think but she was determined to pursue Ben. When Voe denounced Ben as a murderer, an enraged Ben Force pushed her. However, he was soon overwhelmed with guilt and tried to pull her to safety but lost his grip.

"Ben." Rey closed her hand over his, shocking him back into the moment. He opened his eyes to find her gazing at him in anguish. She had been a witness inside his head as he relieved the horrifying memory of Voe's death.

"I couldn't…she was right there…" Ben wished he could put his darkest memories in a garbage compactor where they belonged and forget. Or better yet bury them deep underground. But his brain seemed hardwired to torture him to relive the bad stuff over and over again. He thought he had things under control, but seeing Voe again, had brought it rising to the surface. Luke attacking him in his sleep had been the catalyst that sent him down a dark and dangerous path and that girl was part of it. He took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. "We had to get out. I couldn't stay there. I'm not the hero they think I am. They would have worked out I was a fraud. I couldn't stand it anymore. And when Finn had the audacity to try and arrest you…" His jaw tightened. "We're better off on our own, Rey." He ended firmly.

Rey hated that he was beating himself up about something in his past he had no control over at the time. She was annoyed at herself for not recognizing who Voe was before it all spiraled out of control. She had seen glimpses of the girl in Ben's memories before, but had been too consumed with stupid jealousy to see what was right in front of her eyes. "What now?" She asked, sighing.

Ben looked at her bleakly. "I don't know." He admitted roughly. "I just don't know."

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you so much for the kind reviews!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Five-Rey Solo**

Rey's brow furrowed as she concentrated all her attention on the Millennium Falcon's scanners. The scanners started to beep as they alerted her to an in coming craft. "Ben, we've got company." She warned him.

"Who the hell is it?" Ben slammed his fist on the console in aggravation. Couldn't they have a moment's peace just to breathe?

Rey's brilliant hazel eyes widened in surprise as she studied the schematics and recognised the digital scan of an X-wing starfighter. It wasn't just any old starfighter, it belonged to Luke Skywalker. "He followed us here." She said in amazement as she motioned for Ben to take a look.

"He must have put a tracking device on the ship!" Ben cussed in disbelief.

"Why would he do that?" Rey questioned in confusion.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ben's dark eyes reflected his bitterness. "Skywalker doesn't trust me, so he had someone bug the ship while he kept us occupied."

"I don't believe that." Rey murmured. Ben's assumption that Luke mistrusted him was based on old wounds that didn't apply in this universe. He was still failing to separate the Luke from his world and the Luke from this one. They were like two entities, completely different from each other in every way. "There has to be another explanation."

"Like what?" Ben demanded.

Rey shrugged helplessly. "Maybe it was Finn. He was about to arrest me. Luke's hailing us."

Ben was conflicted. He felt lost and confused. He wasn't sure what his uncle's intentions were. He wasn't ready for a confrontation. He was like a ball of tangled yarn. The parts that are untangled are available, useable; the rest is a mess unless its untied. That mess felt endless and at most times unyielding. He just wanted to breathe, but his throbbing heart wouldn't let him.

"Ben." Rey's gentle cadence was like a soothing balm as she pulled him back into the moment. He turned and stared into her brilliant hazel eyes, the smooth green on the edge contrasted beautifully with the amber colour in the middle. His throbbing heart stuttered, slowing and easing its painful beat as he drowned in her loving gaze. "It's okay." She said as she placed her hand over his. The dark void inside him closed at her touch and he was able to focus again.

"Patch him through." Ben said weakly.

Rey smiled at him encouragingly as she flicked a few switches and answered Luke's hails. "This is Red 5. Come in Falcon." Luke's voice crackled as Rey adjusted the signal. When there was no immediate response from them, Ben and Rey heard Luke cuss under his breath. "What the hell are you doing, Ben?"

Ben cleared his throat before responding. "This is the Falcon, Red 5."

"Ben!" Luke said impatiently. "You took your time."

Ben scowled at his uncle's harsh tone. His fingers itched to break the connection, but one warning look from Rey chastened him. "You shouldn't have followed us."

"You didn't give me a choice. Why did you leave so abruptly?" Luke appeared genuinely confused.

"Finn was about to arrest Rey!" Ben retorted. "What did you expect us to do?"

Rey was forced to adjust the signal again as it dropped out, cutting Luke off mid-sentence. She sighed, boosting the signal as high as it would go. She made a mental note to fix the problem when she had some spare time.

"You should be used to Finn's overreaction by now." Luke's frustration was clear even over the comm. "His heart's in the right place, even if it takes a while for his brain to catch up. He cares about you, Ben. He thought he was doing the right thing; don't worry I've given him and Poe the ticking off they deserve. You didn't need to take off to make your point."

"I wasn't trying to make a point." Ben said roughly.

"Then what are you doing?" Luke asked huskily. "Why didn't you just come to me, Ben? I may have been busy but I've always got time to listen. You know that."

Ben wasn't used to Luke caring so much. He couldn't handle it. When the emotional pain came, he tensed, his hands resting rigidly on the console for a little while…just long enough to feel the emotion and gain a new perspective on it. This was huge personal growth from him, before he would have refused to deal with his emotions, instead locking them down for later, until they came bursting out of him in the worst way. This new perspective he had gained was more solid, more real to himself and others, yet not wallowing but allowing him to embrace those negative thoughts and feelings in a healthy way, reaching forwards with confidence.

Rey felt what he felt. She closed her hand over his, sensing that he was too choked to respond. "Luke?" She said softly.

"Hi, Rey." Luke responded. Rey could almost sense the smile on his face. "How are you doing? I'm sorry about Finn. Believe me he regrets his actions."

"I hope you weren't too hard on him." Rey was saddened as she recalled the way Finn had looked at her. This was so far removed from the man who she had once claimed as a friend. She couldn't deny how much it hurt that he thought ill of her. "It wasn't his fault."

"You're very kind and forgiving." Luke replied gently. "I sensed that about you as soon as we met…_and other things."_

Rey exchanged a worried glance with Ben. "What do you mean?" She faltered.

"It means that I can sense you're deeply troubled, Rey. You are hiding a secret that is so powerful its tearing you apart inside. And I sense that my nephew knows what that secret is and is prepared to risk all he holds dear to keep you and that secret safe. I think that's why you really ran away. I don't want you to be scared, Rey. I'm here to help, if you'll let me."

The compassion in Luke's voice was Rey's unravelling. Her tears burst forth like water from a dam. She felt the muscles in her chin tremble like a small child as she felt Ben's arms close around her, pulling her to his chest as if attempting to make her a prisoner of his ribcage. He whispered soothing words of love in her ear, but even that didn't drown the static inside her head, the side effect of her constant fear, the constant stress of hiding her cursed legacy. She could hear her own sobs, like a distressed child, raw from the inside. Everything was raw, raw tears, raw emotions. She couldn't stop. Why couldn't she stop crying?

"_I'm here. You're not alone."_ Ben's comforting voice filled her head. Aloud, he said to Luke. "We were heading to Ahch-to. Follow us." He ordered before cutting off communication with his uncle altogether.

* * *

It was like they had come full circle. Ben expertly landed the Falcon on Temple island. The ruins of the first jedi temple loomed above them as Ben and Rey descended the opened ramp of the Falcon, hand in hand. Luke's old X-wing fighter was parked a few meters away. He was already walking toward them, his jedi robes fluttering in the gentle breeze coming off the ocean. Ahch-to's changeable weather was being kind to them today.

"Maybe it's fate that we ended up here at the site of the first Jedi temple." Luke mused as he came up to join them. R2D2 followed behind him faithfully. Luke's blue eyes lingered on the old temple ruins before travelling back to his nephew and Rey. "It's been a long time since I've seen this place." He spoke directly to Rey. "Ben and I travelled here a long time ago in search of the ancient Jedi texts."

Ben's eyes widened slightly at this revelation but he remained silent as he watched his uncle lead the way up the rocky stairway to the ruined monastery above. He and Rey followed after him slowly. Luke stopped when he reached the top, clasping his hands behind his back as he gazed thoughtfully at the ocean.

"I meant it when I said that I knew your unique bond would draw you together during a pivotal moment, and that will be the key to winning this war." He began carefully. "I also believe that what you're hiding is tied up in this somehow." He turned to face Ben, his twinkling blue eyes appraising them both. "Whatever it is, you don't need to carry the burden by yourselves. I'm here to help. You can trust me."

Trusts are broken, lies are told, Rey thought. Being sad made her realize how valuable being happy is. Feeling weak had taught her to know what it means to be strong. Being helpless made her more determined to carry on fighting, no matter how desperate her circumstances got. Mistakes happen, awful things might happen in one's life. But sometimes you had to take a leap of faith. Rey decided to do that now. She didn't need to look up at Ben to know he felt the same. It was time.

* * *

_"You don't just have power. You have his power. You're his granddaughter. You are a Palpatine. My mother was the daughter of Vader. Your father was the son of the Emperor. What Palpatine doesn't know is that we're a dyad in the Force, Rey. Two that are one." _

Rey's eyes remained solely on Ben as she admitted the truth to Luke about her parentage. She saw the pain etched on Ben's face as he witnessed the memory in her head of Kylo Ren revealing the news that had broken her heart and nearly broken her spirit. He hadn't done that to her, he had to remind himself. It was the other Ben-the one who had died in her arms in Exegol-the one she had been so desperate to save before she landed in his timeline, thinking she had gone back into her own past so she could save that Ben Solo from himself. But instead she had found him-he was the one she had saved. She had intervened in time to stop him committing the same act that had haunted the other Ben until his dying day. His head spun with the weight of it all.

Luke's complexion went grey when he learned that Palpatine-Darth Sidious-was still alive. It meant that his own father, Anakin's-or Darth Vadar, to give him his Sith name-sacrifice had been in vain. Palpatine had survived to torment the next generation, hiding behind his creation, Snoke, to wage war on the galaxy.

"I can't believe it." Luke said in horror. "I saw my father throw him into the pit."

"You must hate me." Rey whispered desolately.

Luke's eyes snapped to her face. "Why would you think that?" He asked gravely.

"Because of who I am."

"All I see before me is a brave, tenacious, and compassionate young woman." Luke replied earnestly. "Rey, some things are stronger than blood. Don't be afraid. Where you come from does not define who you are."

Rey basked in the warmth of Luke's words. Even as her eyes brimmed with tears, she felt a fullness of soul and breath that could be regarded as hope. She watched as Ben looked at his uncle with a fresh set of eyes. The old bitterness was gone from them. He was gazing at his uncle anew.

"The question is what do we do now." Luke murmured, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

Ben's gaze left his uncle and landed on Rey. She made eye contact with him, surprised at how different his eyes were in moments like these, softer than she could ever imagine. They were the eyes of one who loves deeply, and that love was all for her. "_You okay_?" He projected into her mind.

Rey nodded, taking in every moment and memorising it, knowing his love was the medication she would need to survive the next few days. In all the galaxy there wasn't another like him, or her for that matter; they were two souls that were one. "_I know what I have to do_." She answered him through their bond.

"_What we have to do_." Ben corrected her with a sad smile. He turned to face his uncle, who was gazing at them both curiously. "We already have a plan." He said aloud.

"What plan?" Luke asked cautiously.

After another loving glance in Rey's direction, which only solidified his resolve, Ben outlined their intent to confront Darth Sidious on Exegol. Luke's blue eyes widened as he expressed his concerns about their impetuous plan. Ben cut him off mid-sentence with a calmness he had never felt before. "Isn't confronting fear the destiny of a Jedi?" He asked.

"Ben." Luke's eyes moistened as he reached out and put a hand on his nephew's shoulder. For the first time in his life, Ben didn't flinch at his touch as a soothing warmth spread through him. "I can see no words of mine are going to dissuade you from this plan. I want you to know you won't be alone…either of you." His watery gaze encompassed Rey as well. "While you confront Darth Sidious, the resistance and I will engage Snoke and the First order in battle. Working together we can end this war." He stated firmly. Luke transferred his hand from Ben's shoulder to his cheek, while his other reached out to Rey to draw her into their inner circle.

* * *

Ben's palms were sweaty. He couldn't understand why he was feeling so nervous as he approached his uncle nervously. "Can I ask you something, U…Uncle…Luke?" He stuttered over his words, feeling like a small child again. He couldn't remember the last time he had addressed Skywalker so familiarly.

"Of course, you can." Luke regarded Ben with mild amusement, wondering why his nephew was so agitated. "What is it?"

"Um…I know there isn't much time…but before we leave, I want you to…" Ben took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I want you to marry me and Rey."

This was the last thing that Luke had been expecting. His eyebrows shot up almost to his hairline in surprise. "Marry you? I'm not a marriage officiant, Ben."

"You're the best we've got." Ben gave him a pleading look. "Please, Uncle. I need this. Rey needs this."

Luke was lost for words momentarily; he had never been so astonished in his life. "If that's what you want. Then I'll do it." He said finally, recovering his composure.

Ben's face relaxed into a bright smile. It was the purest thing that Luke had ever seen. It extended right to Ben's eyes and deep into his soul. "Thanks." Ben said gratefully as he left his surprised uncle and ran off to find Rey and tell her she was about to become a Solo. He had no doubts that she was going to say yes.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! Please review.**_


	26. Chapter 26

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone for the kind reviews and for reading this story!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Six-Vows**

It didn't surprise Ben when he found Rey in the Falcon attempting to fix the comms link with the help of R2D2. There were wires everywhere; the droid beeping instructions to Rey as he helped her discover the source of the problem. A rush of affection washed over him as he heard her utter a faint cuss when she nicked her forefinger with one of the tools she was using. He watched as she ignored the slight injury and carried on intently with her work.

"Hey!" He said, hating to interrupt her intense concentration, but equally desperate to tell her about his crazy proposal at the same time.

"Hi." Rey blessed him a soft smile in return, one that melted his heart. "I'm trying to fix the comm link, but the problem is worse than I thought. We need the communication system to be working properly if- "

Ben cut her off with a kiss. Rey barely had time to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips and, at her grant of access, delved into her mouth. It was a strong kiss, fiery and passionate. Rey's arms reached up and tangled around his neck. She felt his arms close around her in response as he literally lifted her out of the pilot's seat. In an instant she pulled away and arched up into his broad chest, moaning in the contact of body heat against her own, before she drew back into his lips.

"_Marry me?_" Ben projected into her mind mid-kiss.

Rey was completely unprepared for that question. This is not what she thought would happen when he suddenly appeared on the Falcon. His lips were warm against hers as he asked her the question again, but this time vocally. She could feel the whispered words against her questing tongue. "Marry me?"

Ben's hands were wrapped around her waist, while hers were still locked around his neck pulling him down slightly. He was so tall. Their position was slightly comical. When they broke apart for air, Rey rested her forehead against his and gathered some much-needed oxygen. R2-an unwitting witness to their passionate display-whirred and beeped, his lights flashing chaotically. Rey could empathise with the droid. Had Ben really asked her to marry him?

"Are you ever going to answer me?" Ben laughed, feeling suddenly nervous. He had been expecting a resounding yes right away. He was on tenterhooks wondering why Rey was taking her time in responding. Had he read everything wrong? He began to panic, his hands spanning her waist trembling slightly.

Rey instantly looked up at him, sensing his sudden distress through their bond. The swirls of emotion on his face made her gasp. He was scared, scared she was going to say no. "_Idiot._" She answered in his head.

"_Is that a good idiot or you are crazy idiot?"_ Ben responded anxiously.

"It's a yes, you crazy idiot!" Rey actually squealed like an excited little girl as she yelled the words aloud.

Ben laughed again, but this time it was unrestrained with joy. He smouldered as he looked down at Rey, the lust and desire showing openly on his face making her skin burn. However, before she could ponder further, Ben yanked her to him and covered her mouth in a hungry kiss. As their lips crashed together Rey felt like she was walking on air. It was magic the way his lips connected with hers. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips and tongue softer than she could ever imagine.

When they pulled apart again, they found R2 trying to sneak out of the cockpit as quietly as possible. They laughed at the droid's perceived embarrassment. "Where do you think you're going, R2?" Ben asked. "You're supposed to be my best man…droid…thing." He looked down at Rey and they both exploded with laughter when R2 rocked back and forth in glee.

* * *

"I can't believe that Luke has agreed to marry us. Isn't attachment forbidden for a Jedi?" Rey whispered to Ben as they walked down the Falcon's ramp hand in hand. They were met with unexpected sunshine. It seemed Ahch-to was giving them its own blessing.

"I'm not a Jedi." Ben entwined his fingers with hers.

"In this universe you are. Luke trained you to be one, like he trained the others- "

"I don't think my uncle adheres so tightly to the old rules here. He understands the rigidity of the old Jedi religion was partly responsible for their downfall." Ben confided to her.

A small smile blossomed on Rey's face. "You called Luke your uncle." She teased him.

"Did I?" Ben pretended to be shocked as he swung their joined hands back and forth between them.

"You know you did." Rey laughed as she pushed him away with her hand, only to bring him closer again with the other. "Admit it, you're warming to him."

Ben nodded, his own smile faltering as he drew Rey to his chest. "If Skywalker had just taken the time to listen and understand me, Rey. My whole life would have turned out so differently…" His voice tailed off as he kissed the top of her head. "When this is all over, I want to stay here, Rey. I don't want to go back."

"I know." She whispered, resting her head against his chest. "I want to stay, too."

* * *

Luke Skywalker stood between Ben and Rey, smiling at them appraisingly. R2D2, revelling in his role as best droid and witness combined, rocked from side to side with excitement.

"You do know that Leia and Han will expect a more elaborate affair when you get back, don't you?" Luke teased his nephew. "You're going to have to do this all over again. In front of crowds of…"

"You're not going to scare me off." Ben interrupted him, laughing. He turned to look at Rey, whose own eyes were shining with mirth. "Its true, though. Do you think you can cope with marrying me twice?"

"Definitely." Rey confirmed with a fond smile. She lay her hand on his cheek, intending to reach up and kiss him, but Luke put a stop to that.

"Hey, slow down, kids." Luke quipped. "That can come later. At least say your vows first."

Rey blushed scarlet and Ben grinned, thinking how lovely she looked with rosy cheeks. "Sorry." He apologised, not feeling sorry at all.

"Okay then, lets begin." Luke began sombrely. He took their left hands in each of his own and gently lay them over each other. "Ben, would you like to say your vows first?" He prompted.

Ben nodded. He took a deep breath before making eye contact with Rey. She was so beautiful that it took his breath away. The familiar intimacy of their connection surrounded him like a warm blanket, his nerves vanished and he was finally able to voice what was in his heart. "Rey, I love you." He began. "In you I see a chance for the kind of love that they say doesn't exist anymore. The type that spans far longer than one lifetime. Before you, my life was empty. Falling in love with you was like coming home. You make me feel complete. When you smile it's as if my universe begins and ends with you. I could run forever, search forever, but in the end, every path leads back to your heart and soul. You are my guiding light in the darkness. I love you, now, always and forever."

The way that Ben looked at her while he spoke his vows melted Rey's heart. She reached up and traced his bottom lip with the tip of her finger. It pouted slightly and she had to fight the urge to kiss him. She knew Ben sensed what she was feeling because he smiled slightly, his dark eyes softening with so much love that it made her breath hitch in the back of her throat.

"Rey, its your turn." Luke said gently. "Would you like to say your vows to Ben?"

Rey glanced at Luke and smiled. He nodded encouragingly at her. She took a deep breath and focused all her attention on Ben again. "That first day I saw you I knew there was something even then, though I didn't know what." Rey looked up at him shyly and Ben smiled, reaching out with his free hand to caress her cheek. "When I look into your eyes, I see the humanity, the person you really are. I see the love that burns there, the sort that goes on for eternity." She bit her lip nervously, before continuing. "There is something in your spirit that calls to me, like a fire giving me just the right amount of warmth. In you I see the person I love with everything that I am. When I look into your eyes, I see the real you, and I know when you look into mine, you see the real me, the scavenger girl who messes up, but would do anything in her power to keep you safe. I love you, Ben, now, always and forever."

"Well, there's nothing much left for me to say but I now pronounce you husband and wife." Luke said huskily. He wiped his eyes discreetly before giving Ben a mock glare. "Well kiss her then, boy."

Ben laughed at his uncle as he obligingly pulled an emotional Rey into his arms and kissed her. The kiss obliterated any thought. Everything evaporated around them. Drunk on endorphins Ben's only desire was touch her, to move his hands under Rey's confining clothes and feel her perfect softness. But with an audience he had to settle with savouring her lips instead. The quickening of her breath matched his. A kiss like this was a beginning, a promise of much more to come.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. Please review!**_


	27. Chapter 27

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who kindly left a review on the last chapter. Your awesome feed back keeps me motivated to finish this story!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Seven-Rey Palpatine and Kylo Ren**

Luke drew Rey and Ben together; his expression was solemn as he reminded them once again of the gravity of the situation they were now facing. "Darth Sidious is scheming, powerful and evil to the core. You must be wary of him. He will try and manipulate you; he'll twist everything to his advantage. You must both stray strong. Stay focused. And most of all stay together. Do not let your fears or anger cloud your feelings."

When he had finished speaking, he first hugged Ben, telling him he couldn't be prouder of him than if he was his own son. Ben returned Luke's hug; his eyes moist as he felt his uncle's emotional warmth wrap around him. He had carried the rabid scars of their estrangement like open wounds for years. Now they were gone it was like a heavy burden had been lifted. He knew now that the light of compassion shines the brightest in the darkness, showing the courage until daylight comes. This was what Rey had taught him. She was that bright light inside him, showing him that he deserved to be loved.

Luke was hugging Rey now. "You are part of my family now, Rey Solo." He whispered to her. "And us Skywalkers are strongest when we stick together."

Luke stepped back, looking them over appraisingly one last time. "Until we meet again." He said putting one hand on each of their shoulders. Ben and Rey echoed his sentiment. Trying his best to hide the gleam of moisture in his watery blue eyes, Luke took a deep breath and walked back to his ship with R2D2 following faithfully behind him.

* * *

Ben and Rey walked up the Falcon's ramp hand in hand. This was going to be their last night on Ahch-to. At first light they would leave and start their journey to Exegol. The heavy weight of this knowledge followed them as they roamed the ship from top to bottom, doing last minute checks, making sure that the Millennium Falcon was as robust as she could be. They reached the galley, an addition that Han Solo had made to the ship after he married Leia Organa. They had lived in the Falcon for a few months after their marriage. Ben remembered Han telling him once it was one of the happiest times of their marriage. Palpatine had just been defeated. They were young, in love, and felt like they were embarking on a whole new adventure.

"Ben." Rey murmured as she shared his melancholy through their bond.

Ben grabbed her by the waist, pulling her up close against his chest. His hand gently glided through her hair, unfastening it from its bindings, allowing the silky strands to fall in soft waves around her lovely face. Rey's eyes were like candles in the night, their spark a light of passion…desire. As a small, but teasing smile lit up Ben's face, goosebumps lined her skin, not the kind that one gets in the cold, but the kind one gets when nothing else matters except right here, right now.

"You're beautiful." Ben breathed.

Rey felt her cheeks grow warm from his sincere compliment. "I'm not." She murmured.

Ben's hands encircled her waist as his warm lips grazed her ear. "You _are_ beautiful." He whispered again. "Completely, totally, insanely beautiful."

Rey's smile spread so wide across her face it hurt. "What does that make you?"

"Lucky." Ben laughed.

"I meant in terms of beautiful." Rey teased him as she gazed up at him from under her thick lashes. "If I'm insanely beautiful, what does that make you? Because I assure you…"

"Rey." Ben interrupted her. "Stop talking." He said right before he kissed her.

As he continued to kiss her the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words could never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. Rey ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space between them and she could feel the strong beating of his heart against her chest.

Still kissing, Ben lifted Rey right off her feet, carrying her toward the bedroom which was another addition that Han had added to the Falcon after his marriage to Leia. Ben smiled into the kiss as he let Rey fall with a soft bounce onto the thin mattress. They locked eyes with each other for a moment, just enough for them to feel the twin beating of their hearts. Then a mad scramble ensued as they pulled at each other's clothes, their limbs tangling with each other in their desperation to be skin on skin.

Every kiss after that was raw in its intensity-their breathing fast, their heart rates faster. Finally, with the confining clothes out of the way, they were naked, their skin moving softly together, like the finest of silk. Rey felt Ben's hand move sinuously down her body until it was right where she wanted it to be. A soft moan escaped her lips, before his mouth covered hers again, and their tongues entwined in a kiss, and then he was inside, changing her breathing with every thrust, her moans timed to the rhythm of his body moving with hers. Then all at once Ben stopped, cherishing her body with gentle kisses from her breasts to her stomach, worshipping her silken skin, his hands light; then he's licking and using his fingers all at once, watching her reaction, feeling how her legs move, watching her body writhe in ecstasy. He whispered words of love, Rey let out a soft moan, unable to articulate a response. In seconds he was moving again, sending Rey tumbling into a fresh wave of ecstasy that builds and builds until it sent them both spiraling over the edge.

In the twilight of their room, not yet spent from their passionate lovemaking, their fingers caressed each other's skin as if afraid a heavier touch would break the heady magic. Not having the patience to wait, they became one again, one mind with one goal and one purpose, each utterly drunk with love for the other, only stopping when light finally dawned.

* * *

Exegol was a dark, barren, and rocky planet with desert flats. Its dry conditions, combined with the rubbing of dust particles in its atmosphere, created enormous static discharges that appeared as lightning strikes from the planet surface. The desolate world was covered with enormous fissures that reached deep into its crust. These were excavated by Sith loyalists who were attempting to reach a vergence they believed to lie beneath the surface.

Exegol's nearby space was littered with the remains of megafauna, resulting in a cloud of red gas and stardust to form before the world, posing a navigation barrier. It was the same now. Even though the co-ordinates were buried in her memory, navigating a safe path to the hidden world of the Sith was proving perilous. There was no Sith Wayfinder to help her this time. The journey was bringing back all kinds of nightmarish memories for Rey. Ben shared her apprehension. This journey was all new to him. Unlike his counterpart in her universe he had never travelled to Exegol. He had only heard rumors that it was possibly located somewhere in the Unknown Regions. He was relying totally on her guidance.

Even though she appeared outwardly calm, Rey was scared. So scared. This was the mirror image of the place where she had lost Ben, where she had begun her crazy journey through the parallel universes in her quest to find him again. Now they were here, together, united in a way they hadn't been before. The Dyad bond flowed strong between them. Rey knew there was no hiding her fears from Ben. She cast him a desperate look and he placed his hand over hers, his touch soothing, his mere presence calming her frantic mind.

"_Remember what Luke said. We can't let our fears or anger cloud our feelings. Sidious doesn't know we're coming. We've got the advantage, Rey. Don't be scared. I'm right with you. You're not alone."_

Rey took his words and held them close to her heart as the crazy ride to Exegol came to an end. This was it. There was no going back now. As they started the landing sequence, fear once again found Rey. It spoke to her in its cackling voice-sounding so much like Palpatine-it made her legs go weak, causing her stomach to lurch and her heart to ache. She had read once that there was nothing to fear but fear itself, but still she couldn't silence its voice. It continued to plague her as they left the Falcon behind and began to descend into the bowels of the earth, its wicked voice continuing its endless cycle of reservations and doubts.

* * *

_"The ritual begins. She will strike me down and pledge herself as a Sith. She will draw her weapon. She will come to me. She will take her revenge, and with a stroke of her saber, the Sith are reborn. The Jedi are dead!"_

Rey's palms were sweaty and the adrenaline coursing through her system was shutting down her ability to think logically as she became swamped with nightmarish memories of her past encounter with the evil Sith lord who claimed her as his granddaughter.

Ben was becoming more and more concerned with her state of mind. Her fears were infecting him. He let her draw on his strength, hoping that would be enough to quiet the torment she was experiencing in her mind. "_Rey, I'm here. You're not alone."_ He said through their bond. _"Focus on me. On us."_

Things had changed so much, so fast. Rey was panicking she wouldn't be able to control the ending of their story. What if the same thing happened all over again? What if she couldn't save him again? What if she couldn't follow him this time? Surviving without him would be worse than death.

"_I'm here."_ Ben stated firmly as he broke through her chaotic thoughts. "_Its our time. Together we're stronger. He won't win. We'll be the victors this time." _

And then they both froze. Colour drained from their faces, both turning white as a ghost. Several bodies lay scattered before them-the Knights of Ren, brutally slain-left to rot on the cold ground where they fell.

"This isn't right." Rey whispered to Ben in horror as she felt his fingers curl tightly around hers. "Ben?"

"I know." He whispered back. "Can you feel it?"

Rey knew exactly what he meant. A sudden darkness fell, blocking out all remaining light. An insidious evil, so all-consuming that it sucked the air out of their lungs and made it impossible to breathe. Blinded, Rey and Ben drew their sabers, igniting them in unison. The blue plasma blades cast a narrow ray of light on another fallen corpse, slashed to pieces, and only barely recognizable from the white milk like haze covering its opened eyes.

"Palpatine!" Rey whispered in terror as she cast a petrified glance at Ben. "He's already dead!"

"Someone got to him first." Ben whispered back to her in horrified disbelief.

"That would be us!" A loud feminine laugh, high pitched and demonic, echoed off the cavernous walls, chilling them to the bone.

Out of the thick, impenetrable blackness stepped two shadowy figures, one much taller than the other. The smaller figure took the lead, becoming more feminine in shape as it approached. Suddenly there was a flash of red as the figure ignited their own weapon-a doubled bladed red lightsaber. Nausea welled in Rey's gut as she was suddenly faced with the same dark mirror image of herself that had confronted her on Kef Bir in the Emperor's throne room.

"I think we've shocked them, lover." Rey Palpatine sneered as she waited for her partner to reveal themselves.

Out of the shadows stepped Kylo Ren, clutching his own red cross-guard lightsaber tightly in his gloved hand.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! It looks like the vision Rey saw of the dark version of herself on Kef Bir was all too real. More to come soon. **_

_**Please review. I would love to hear your thoughts. **_


	28. Chapter 28

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!**_

**Chapter Twenty-Eight-Rey Solo and Kylo Ren**

Adrenaline flooded Rey's system. Her heart pumped hard like it was threatening to escape from under her ribcage. She risked a glance at Ben. He stood rigidly, his brown eyes riveted on Kylo Ren, only the slight quiver of his chin telling her how much he was struggling with being confronted with the mirror image of his former self.

"_Ben."_ Rey reached out to him through their bond. _"I'm here. We have to stay strong. We can defeat them…together." _

"_Together!" _Ben's reply came back strong and firm. "_I love you, sweetheart."_

"_I love you, too."_

Reassured that he was managing to hold it together, Rey crouched into a defensive stance, her weapon raised steadily in front of her. She saw Ben do the same. They were in synch. Two that were one. A dyad. Rey called upon the force, to the intense connection she shared with him. She felt it flow around her in calming waves, allowing her to focus, to concentrate her gaze on Rey Palpatine, waiting patiently for her next move.

"Look at them, lover." Rey Palpatine sneered derisively as she watched their synchronised movements. "Pathetic."

Kylo Ren didn't respond. His attention was all on Rey, his gaze brooding and thoughtful. Dark Rey flashed an angry glare in his direction, seeming slightly perturbed by his lack of response. She stepped forward, skilfully twirling her double bladed lightsaber in her hands so fast that the red blades hummed like a vicious swarm of angry bees. The crackling red light from the twin plasma blades burned the back of Rey's retina's, causing a shower of red sparks to overtake her vision. She panicked. She couldn't see. She felt the heat from Rey Palpatine's wicked weapon as it burned a path toward her face, but it didn't reach her as Ben deflected it, before launching a counter attack of his own.

"_Ben!"_ Rey cried through their bond. "_I can't see you!"_

"_Re-_ "Ben's answer was cut off before he had even finished saying her name. To her horror everything went quiet in her head. She tried to reach out to him again, but she couldn't connect with him. It was like he had fallen completely out of existence.

The red sparks faded from Rey's eyes and she was finally able to see again, but then an impenetrable darkness descended, so thick, so suffocating that it stole the breath from her body. She coughed violently as she struggled to breathe, her blue saber shaking in her hands as she tried to draw air into her burning lungs. Then just like that the darkness rolled backward like black smog being blown away by a strong wind. Rey lifted her saber defensively, staring wide eyed in front of her as Kylo Ren stepped out of the shadows and into the small circle of blue light cast by her saber.

Rey felt her adrenaline surge so fast it made her want to vomit, she tasted the saliva thickening in her throat and the beads of sweat trickling down her brow. She desperately tried to reach out to Ben again, but was met with the same wall of silence. She felt like a boat adrift in a wild storm. She couldn't survive for long in the cold waters without her other half, she could only drown.

"What have you done with Ben?" She screamed at Kylo. "Where is he?"

Kylo Ren's response was to shut down his own weapon. The impassive look fell from his face only to be replaced with one of sheer longing. "I'm here. I'm right here. We've finally found each other again, Rey."

Rey emitted another feral scream and attacked.

* * *

Kylo gritted his teeth as his hand thrust out and called upon the force to stop her saber cutting him in half. Rey pushed back against it with all her strength, just like she had done on the ruins of the Death star in Kef Bir. Frustrated when he managed to push her saber off its intended path, she swung at him again. Kylo was forced to ignite his own saber to deflect her vicious swing. She saw an impatient look cross his face as he parried her, pushing her backwards with his brute strength in order to create some distance between them.

"Why won't you just listen?" He growled in irritation.

Rey refused to engage with him. She attacked again, her saber swinging in a wide arc as she aimed for his midriff. He deflected it again, but stepped back, refusing to continue the pointless battle. His unwillingness to fight just increased Rey's frustration. This was like Kef Bir all over again. It seemed he felt the same.

"_We're wasting time, Rey. I didn't want to fight you then. I won't fight you now."_ Kylo's deep voice echoed inside her head, frightening Rey into slashing wildly at him. "_Rey, stop it!"_

"Get out of my head!" Rey sobbed. "_Ben! Ben, where are you?"_ She summoned the force to help her find that special connection with Ben, but the same wall of silence blocked each and every desperate attempt to reach him. It was only Kylo she could hear inside her mind as he tried to forge his own bond with her. She pushed back at Ren, mentally and physically attacking him until she was shaking with exhaustion.

"Enough!" Kylo's tone was surprisingly gentle when she fell onto her knees in front of him, her saber falling from her nerveless fingers. He towered over her, just like he had on ruined Death star, but his saber wasn't poised to cut her down. He held it loosely in his gloved hand, his dark eyes unreadable as he stared down at her. "Rey, you need to stop fighting and listen to me. Or are you planning on stabbing me again if I get distracted."

Rey felt like her bones had no more strength and her muscles were all out of power when those words came out of his mouth. Because it was exactly what she had been planning on doing. She blinked furiously as she stared up at him, the perspiration rolled down her hot skin as she breathed raggedly. She tried to make her brain function, to demand solutions instead of the crazy making circling anxiety which made her unable to think clearly.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Rey demanded in despair. "Where's Ben?"

Kylo sighed heavily as he hunkered down in front of her. He ran his gloved fingers through his sweat soaked hair. "I'm right here, Rey. Look at me. Really look at me…"

Rey stared at him as he drew closer with those damnable eyes that looked so deeply into her own. "Its me, Rey. Its me. I'm Ben-the Ben from your world. The one who gave up the last of his life force so you could live, the one you kissed, the one who smiled at you afterwards like you had given him the most precious gift in the galaxy…"

"No…that's not true. You're lying!" Rey shook her head in denial. "This is some kind of sick and twisted game you're playing with me! Where's Ben? What have you and that crazy witch done to him? If you've hurt him, I'll kill you."

Kylo scowled as he withdrew from her. He was shaking, with anger or something else Rey wasn't sure. She took advantage of his distraction and quickly climbed to her feet, calling for her saber. It flew to her hand and she drove it toward him, her hazel eyes gleaming with a mixture of fury and contempt. Kylo spun around; his own weapon raised as he blocked her lunge with his own saber. They duelled furiously for a few minutes, before exhaustion once again forced Rey to withdraw.

"_Stop fighting me, Rey_." Kylo's pleading voice pushed into her mind. _"You know deep down what I'm saying is true. I'm Ben. When I felt myself slipping away after we kissed, I heard you, Rey. I heard you begging me to come back. I didn't want to leave you, I fought hard to hold onto you, just like you fought hard to hold onto me."_

"_Get out of my head."_ Rey's protests were weaker this time. She was feeling so tired, so completely drained

"_Rey, listen to me and believe_." Kylo continued on relentlessly, knowing that she didn't have any energy left to push him out of her head anymore. He had her full attention now, whether she wanted to give it or not. "_Something went wrong. We got displaced. Instead of coming back together in our own universe, we were separated. You were flung into his world and I was flung into hers." _

"You're not my Ben." Rey whispered. "You're not."

Kylo flinched at her continued denial, but he carried on regardless, knowing that his small window of opportunity was closing rapidly. He felt the looming darkness of Rey Palpatine's power hovering over him like an angry cloud. It meant that the other Ben Solo was languishing. She would overcome him soon and kill him. She was wielding the power of the Sith. Not just any Sith, but the most powerful Sith of them all-Darth Sidious.

"What happened created a ripple effect through time." Kylo continued hurriedly. "It's the reason we've been able to skip from one universe to another, each time drawing closer to one another, but it also allowed them to follow us…."

Rey remembered when she had felt herself fading away in Snoke's throne after being fatally wounded by one of his Praetorian guards. She remembered hearing her Ben calling to her desperately, how hard she had fought to come back to him, only to find herself in limbo, until they had come together again in this universe. This perfect, perfect universe where her Ben was already a hero. Where Han and Leia were still together, united and in love, where Luke Skywalker wasn't the broken man they had come to know, but was a leader, a true Jedi master, leader of the Resistance with his sister, Leia. This universe where she had pledged her love for her Ben, where she had married him, made love to him…

Image after image replayed in her head like a movie put on fast-forward. It spilled out of her and she couldn't stop. She was barely aware of the pain etched on Kylo's face as he was forced to witness all that she had experienced without him.

"Stop!" He pleaded thickly. "Just stop!"

Rey came back to herself, her breathing shallow, her heart pulsing weakly in her chest. "If you are who you say you are, then why ally yourself with her?" She demanded.

"She was already lost when I tumbled into her world." Kylo's breathing matched hers. The longer they were together, the more synchronised their movements became. The Force flowed around them, drawing them together, though Rey continued to fight it all the way. "I found myself climbing back out of the pit again like some sick and twisted déjà vu."

"Then what?" Rey asked tremulously.

"She had done what Sidious wanted. He had goaded her into striking him down in order to initiate a Sith ritual that would transfer his spirit into her, his granddaughter, thus "uniting" them and guaranteeing the continued legacy of the Sith. When I managed to crawl out of that pit only to be confronted with her, I knew that everything was lost. I had to use my wits to survive. She offered me a place by her side, not as an equal, but as her servant…"

"She was offering more than that. She called you lover!" Rey cut in bitingly.

"I did what I needed to do in order to survive so I could find you again." Kylo retorted bitterly. "Much like you did it seems." He reminded her pointedly.

Rey's eyes glimmered with moisture as she stared at Kylo Ren in despair. His emotional pain hit her like an open wound, leaving her raw and bleeding. There was no telling what fresh hell he had endured under Rey Palpatine's manipulations.

"Conquering the galaxy was no longer enough for her. Her evil ambition was greater than that. She saw into my mind, and into my heart. She knew that the only way to secure my total obedience was to destroy the last bit of light inside of me…_you._" Kylo's eyes widened slightly as if reliving some fresh horror. "She was too powerful with the Force for me to hide anything from her. She learned how I had ended up in her world and she used that knowledge to her advantage. She would use the Dyad bond to cross from one universe to another in order to find you. Each time we got close, you moved on again…until she pre-empted you and we all ended up here together."

Rey's hazel eyes turned to liquid gold as she watched Kylo Ren slowly take off one of his gloves and hold out his hand toward her just like he had once before. "It's too late for him, Rey. The other Ben Solo is already dead. Join me." He asked, his voice wavering slightly with suppressed emotion. "Join me and we can defeat Rey Palpatine together." There was a momentary pause before he uttered the fateful word that broke her heart. "_Please._"

_**A/N-thank you for reading! Phew, I know this is all super complicated. I hope it made sense!? **_

_**In the next chapter we'll be seeing Ben Solo's perspective as he confronts Dark Rey (Rey Palpatine)! **_

_**Please review and let me know your thoughts. Even if you think this whole story sucks, let me know, LOL **_


	29. Chapter 29

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I hope this is not going to be too confusing. This has turned into one complicated plot…**_

**Chapter Twenty-Nine-Rey Palpatine and Ben Solo**

Their fight was like a choreographed dance of destruction. Ben Solo and Rey Palpatine duelled furiously for a few minutes, their sabers clashing violently together in a whirlwind of red and blue sparks. Dark Rey was fast, very fast. Ben was struggling to keep up with her frenzied movements. They broke apart to regroup, and in that frozen fear between stand off and fighting, he saw Rey's eyes flick to his momentarily, showing no emotion at all. Her face was unreadable, there was no fear, no invitational smirk. She came at him again, the plasma blades of her wicked weapon swirling like twin flames. Ben circled her, his own saber held defensively in front of him as he waited for the right moment to launch his counterattack.

Rey Palpatine charged him with a mighty cry. Ben dodged to the side in one fluid move. Rey swivelled in his direction. Her menacing eyes were dark with intent while her dark hood made the rest of her features indistinguishable as she used the shadows to her advantage. She thrust forward; Ben parried her. They both backed off again, circling each other slowly, never taking their eyes from one another.

"You've lasted longer than I expected." Rey Palpatine sneered as she rushed toward him again. Ben deflected her whirring double bladed saber and in a surprising move, he flung his arm around her neck, drawing her back against him. Rey struggled, shooting her right leg out in an attempt to trip him up. Ben pushed her roughly, causing her to stumble. Hissing like an angry wildcat, Rey managed to break free, her saber swinging madly as she slashed at his shoulder, tearing through the flesh and bone.

Ben groaned in pain as he felt the blood seep through his tunic. He was forced to switch the saber to his good arm, the other was now swinging uselessly by his side. The burning pain from his injury was disabling.

Dark Rey laughed cruelly as she circled him again slowly. "It's impossible for you to win. You can't beat me." She boasted. "I have the power of all the Sith!"

"_Rey!"_ Ben cried in his head as he tried to forge a connection with his beloved. _"Where are you, sweetheart? I need you!"_

He was met with a wall of silence. Just like all the other times he had tried to communicate with her. It was like she had fallen out of existence. His brain was screaming for her. She was fine. She had to be fine. He couldn't contemplate her being hurt; he couldn't bear the thought of it. She had to be okay. There was a simple explanation for why he couldn't hear her, why he couldn't feel her. Rey Palpatine was messing with his head. He just had to find a way to kill her and then he would be reunited with the girl he loved, the girl he adored above everything else, the girl he couldn't live without. Ben's brain was on overdrive but his concentration was shot. He clumsily deflected another blow from the demon wearing Rey's face and staggered backwards.

"Pathetic!" Rey Palpatine scowled as she paused in her attack to glare at him. "You're making this all too easy!"

Ben could feel it, the fear building like an unstoppable snowball in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't concentrate on anything else but trying to forge his connection with Rey. Without that connection he felt lost. He needed it like he needed air to breathe. His heart began to beat harder and faster, adrenaline levels rising, his brain began to fire a relentless stream of negative thoughts like a blaster gun. Sweat broke out on his hot skin. The deep wound in his shoulder ached and throbbed.

"Where is she?" He screamed at Rey Palpatine. "What have you done to her?"

Dark Rey's wicked laughter echoed around the cavernous throne room. It struck Ben's ears, sending them ringing. He winced at the new source of pain and stumbled as he tried to keep his footing. She began to swing her double bladed lightsaber in front of her so fast that the bright red plasma blades burned his eyes. He couldn't see. He couldn't think.

"You want to know where your precious lover is?" Dark Rey's cruel voice bit brutally into his ear.

Ben lashed out in horror at her closeness, unexpectedly landing a hit. He heard Dark Rey hiss in pain as she whirled away from him, blood streaming from a deep cut on her left arm. His lucky blow had infuriated her to the point of madness. She withdrew to a safe distance and snarled in his direction. Her crazed eyes narrowed in concentration as she extended her right hand and used the full power of the dark side of the Force to create a cavernous split in the earth under his feet. Ben didn't have time to avoid the deep pit that opened up beneath him. He stumbled and fell, his lightsaber falling from his nerveless fingers and into the never-ending darkness below him. In a desperate attempt to stop himself from suffering the same fate as his lost saber, he swung his body around, his hands clawing at the sides of the deep pit, somehow, he managed to find a foothold. His fingers bit into the hard rock as he clung on, his breaths coming in shallow gasps as he tried hard to fight his budding despair.

A suffocating darkness fell, so thick and impenetrable, that he struggled to breathe. "_Rey, where are you? Rey?"_ A choked sob left his throat as he screamed her name in his head. He conjured up her lovely face in his mind. He let her inner beauty wash over him, letting it light up his whole world. She was his guiding light. His way out of the darkness.

_Then…._

"Ben!"

At last! The sound of her sweet voice saying his name energised him. The sweat completely covered his skin as he strained every muscle in his body to drag himself to the surface. His heart exploded in his chest when he felt a pair of soft hands touch his face. Ben's breath caught in his throat as he focused his eyes on the angel kneeling in front of him. Even covered in dried blood and grime his Rey was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He reached for her at the same time she reached for him. He didn't know how or why she was there. He was just so grateful that she was. Ben drew her toward him, eagerly searching for her mouth as he kissed her, a full on, open-mouthed sexual kiss. He loved it. He loved the way her small body melted into his. The way their lips fit like two puzzle pieces. The way she relented as he pulled her tighter and tighter. When they broke apart after what seemed like ages, he opened his eyes to look at her and his heart slammed violently in his chest when he found Rey Palpatine smirking back at him. Seconds later he felt the burn of her lightsaber as she stabbed him in his abdomen, the cruel smile never leaving her face as she killed him.

* * *

Rey's lips quivered as she slowly raised her right hand toward Kylo. She kept a steady eye-contact with him. His brown eyes shone brightly, reflecting the warmth of the sun. They were such a unique colour, a mix of light and dark. He looked directly into her hazel eyes, so big and beautiful, so much emotion held inside. Their fingertips brushed, their fingers gliding over each other, until Kylo's gently closed around hers, drawing her toward him like a moth to a flame.

Kylo leaned in, so Rey's forehead rested against his. They closed their eyes at the same time. Both their breaths shaking. "Thank you." He said, his voice low and husky.

"For what?" Rey's response was barely more than a whisper.

"For being you." Kylo's voice wavered, exhilarated by the tension between them. "For taking my hand. For believing me."

Rey gently leaned in and kissed his warm lips. They pulled apart and took shaky, shallow breaths. Unable to contain themselves anymore, Kylo cradled Rey's head in his hands and pulled her into a fiery and passionate kiss. Her hands worked their way around his body, feeling each crevasse, each line along his perfect physique. Their Force bond flowed around them, uniting them, pulling them together as one, tightening their bond, making them stronger. They pulled apart again and gazed deep into each other's eyes. Kylo's full of wonder and love. Rey's full of curiosity and passion. No words were spoken other than a whispered '_Ben' _falling from Rey's parted lips, but a story worthy of them was communicated all the same.

"_I love you_." He projected into her mind.

Rey tucked her head under his chin as she closed her eyes and let her tears fall unchecked. So much had happened in so short a time that she didn't think she would ever be able to stop grieving for all that they had lost, all that they had suffered, together and apart. And all those that had suffered right along with them. "Ben." She held his name in her heart, clinging to the precious memories she had of him, even as she let him go. Kylo hadn't lied. She could sense that the Ben she had married on Ahch-to was gone. The wretchedness she felt, the guilt that couldn't compare to the elation of being reunited with the man who she had started this whole journey to find, would forever scar her heart.

"Rey." Kylo whispered her name again as he worked his way back to her tender, smooth lips. He kissed her again, pulling her closer until there was no space left between them and he could feel the beating of her heart against his chest.

Suddenly everything went dark….an impenetrable evil rolled toward them, pulling them apart….

"_Traitor!" _Dark Rey's hate filled scream ricocheted off the stone walls of the throne room as she appeared out of the gloom, her white face a mask of jealous insanity as she glared at Kylo embracing Rey. With one swooping motion of her arm she used the Force and sent him flying through the air, his head slamming violently against the opposite wall. He dropped hard to the ground, groaning in pain.

Rey felt her heart lurch in her chest as she watched her dark counterpart's lips draw back into an angry snarl. Dark Rey ignited her wicked twin bladed saber, and with a feral roar, she brandished her weapon at Rey and attacked.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! I hope it makes sense, sighs. Please review if you like.**_


	30. Chapter 30

**The Pivotal Moment **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews and for following this story!**_

**Chapter Thirty-Anakin Skywalker**

Rey's heart and mind were caged by a wall of fear. She watched as her dark counterpart twirled her lethal double-bladed saber expertly, the red plasma blades hummed violently, sending red sparks flaming across Rey's vision. Temporarily blinded, she lashed out, unexpectedly scoring a hit. She heard Rey Palpatine hiss, her angry response was a vicious swing, which Rey barely had time to parry. She was struggling to keep up with the Empress 'quick movements, she was constantly on the defensive, always the one in retreat.

"You're weak just like he was." Empress Palpatine sneered; her mouth twisted into an ugly scowl. "I'm going to kill you just like I killed him!" She taunted Rey with Ben's death. "You'll be on your knees, just like he was…. _begging for mercy." _

Her cruel taunt sent a sudden gush of pain jolting through Rey's body. Her heart ached with renewed guilt and indescribable grief. She wasn't even allowed to mourn Ben's death at the hand of this vicious monster. Her stomach ached with grief and her arms lost tension, and her legs began to weaken. Sensing her despair, Rey Palpatine renewed her attack, her destructive weapon poised to strike Rey right through the heart, just like her cruel words.

Kylo's voice was suddenly in Rey's head. "_You're not alone. I'm right here."_

At the sound of his voice Rey felt hope bloom inside her like a star in the blackest night. Through light years of distance, the brightness filled her inner self, pulsating strongly as he reached out to her through their dyad bond and loaned her his strength. With renewed energy, her hand shot out in front of her, teeth bared as she used the force to stop the empress' evil weapon from finding its mark. The two women engaged in a battle of wills, each striving to break the other. The air vibrated madly between them. Rey felt perspiration coat her skin as she used all her energy to push back against the dark power raging from the angry Sith Empress.

Rey gritted her teeth as her dark counterpart's hatred burned the very air they were breathing. There was so much force coming from either side, it was like the very atmosphere struggled to contain it. Suddenly, Rey and the dark empress were blown apart as a burst of electrical energy flew from their hands at exactly the same moment. The Force lightening burned a bright blueish purple, highlighting the cavernous throne room on Exegol in an array of garish colours as it crackled madly.

There was stillness in the air as both females tried to recover from the viciousness of the assault. Rey landed heavily on the cold stone floor of the throne room. Pain throbbed in her guts, deep and warm, but not in a nice way. It felt like someone had their hand in there and were squeezing her internal organs as hard as they can. Every breath was agony, movement was impossible. When Rey's shaking fingers touched her abdomen, they came away soaked in blood. She was injured, badly, maybe fatally.

There had been hope before. Just a tiny flicker against the wind. With the naïve innocence of a child, she had reached out, fingers extended when she had heard Kylo's voice in her head. Now that dying ember of hope brought the cold winds of despair as her silent suffering became too much to bear. She was too weak to reach out to him, mentally or physically. Her life force was draining away as surely as the blood seeping from the gaping wound in her stomach.

* * *

Kylo lay on his back on the cold stone floor as his blood pooled beneath his head. A paroxysm of agony triggered a guttural cry from the back of his throat as he rolled onto his side in an attempt to rise. The deep wound on the back of his head throbbed and burned. He had been knocked unconscious for a brief spell when Rey Palpatine, angered by his betrayal, used the force to send him slamming against the hard rock on the opposite side of the throne room. He had awoken a while later to a world of pain. Every desperate attempt to move and get to Rey had been useless. His head span, black spots encompassing his vision every time he tried. He was unbalanced, physically weak. His head injury more severe then he wanted to admit.

All around him Kylo could hear the sounds of a furious battle raging as the woman he loved fought for her life against a vicious monster. He was powerless to help her. It was like the battle in the throne room all over again when Darth Sidious had thrown him into the dark pit, leaving his sweetheart alone to face down her evil grandfather. They were supposed to have defeated him together, but bolstered by the strength of all the Jedi, she was able to block Palpatine's Force lightning with his mother's lightsaber. By combining Leia's lightsaber with the Skywalker lightsaber, Rey managed to reflect Palpatine's Force lightning back onto him in order to disintegrate her grandfather, destroying his throne and collapsing the chamber they were in on top of the cultists of the Sith Eternal.

In desperation Kylo reached out to Rey through their Force bond. As soon as he opened himself up to her he felt her despair leaking through to him like a heady blackness. Their bond, the one that kept their hearts beating, felt thin, like they were being crushed under the heavy weight of their dual despair. Rey was being crushed, slowly, cruelly as the evil empress twisted the knife, dangling the knowledge of Ben Solo's sad death in front of her. She felt lost and alone. She was losing all hope. Kylo couldn't let that happen. Hope was not just an emotion; it was the tangible promise of a peaceful future that was just beyond reach. Hope is what allows a person to see beyond the present defeat, beyond the moment of being cast down. He couldn't let her lose that hope. Even if he couldn't help her physically, he could show her that she was not alone. That he was right there with her.

Like a bright star shining in the darkness, Kylo sent that unwavering hope directly into Rey's mind. _"You're not alone. I'm right here."_

Immediately he felt the boost she got from the strength of his emotional support. She was energised by it. Their Force bond flowed between them, strong and true. He revelled in it as Rey attacked her evil counterpart with renewed vigour. She fought for dominance against the Empress by sheer force of will. Then something went wrong, terribly wrong. Rey and the Empress lost control of their powers, the Force lightening sparking from their fingers as it blew them apart, causing devastating injuries to both of them. Kylo cried out in anguish as he felt Rey's life force slipping away. It was happening all over again. He was losing her. He couldn't bear it.

Just like before when he had dragged himself out of the pit to reach her, Kylo forced himself back onto his feet through sheer willpower alone. He stumbled as nausea overtook him. He was lightheaded, sick and unbalanced. The ground seemed to swallow him up as he fell hard onto his hands and knees. Black spots appeared in his vision. Rey swung in and out of focus as he dragged his protesting body toward her. Blood caked his hair and face. His skull felt like it was splitting apart with every tortuous move he made. His fingers bit into the cold stone as he pulled himself along the cold ground in a desperate attempt to reach her.

Kylo was forced to pass the fallen empress. He gave her a cursory glance, feeling sickened at what he saw. Half her face had melted off where the Force lightening had struck it. She looked like a grotesque gargoyle, what was left of her features twisted into a hideous mask. Her one good eye focused on him, her fingers twitching in an attempt to reach out to him.

"Help me, lover." She pleaded thickly through swollen lips. "Help me!"

Kylo was sick. He doubled over, retching over and over again until there was nothing left to bring up. Rey Palpatine continued to beg, her words becoming increasingly slurred. She was driving him mad. Hatred bubbled up in his throat at all that he suffered because of her and her manipulations. He gingerly touched the back of his head. Blood was still oozing out of the deep wound, his thick, inky black hair was matted with it. Gritting his teeth, Kylo forced himself back onto his feet. He swayed back and forth as he tried to maintain his balance.

"Come to me, lover." Rey Palpatine's one good eye lit up with hope as he finally managed to drag himself over to her side. He loomed above her, staring down at her ruined face. She raised one hand, eager to reach him. "Come closer. You can heal me. I know you can. Then we can rule over the universes together, just like it was always meant to be."

Kylo called for his saber. It flew in to his opened hand. He felt nothing as he ignited it and stabbed Rey Palpatine right in the heart.

* * *

Kylo fell onto his knees beside Rey. His midnight black hair hung around his face in blood-soaked tendrils as his dark brown eyes turned black with anguish. He touched Rey's icy skin with trembling fingers.

"Rey." He said huskily. "I'm here."

Kylo picked her up, cradling her against his shaking body. Black filled the edges of his vision and the only thing he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat. His breaths came in ragged, shallow gasps. It had all come full circle. He knew what he had to do.

"I love you, sweetheart." He whispered softly as he placed his hand on her abdomen and slowly closed his eyes.

Suddenly he felt Rey's fingers close over his as she pulled his hand away from her stomach. Kylo's eyes flew open to find hers staring desperately up into his. Her life force was ebbing away. She knew it was too late for her to be saved. She was thinking of her vison on Ahch-to when she had been faced with nothing but multiple images of herself in the mirror cave. It had been a warning, but she had misread it completely. Her greatest enemy was the darkness within her, she could see that now. But she had defeated that darkness. She had killed the empress. The cursed Palpatine bloodline would end with her. She would not allow Ben to sacrifice himself for her all over again.

"You have to let me go, Ben." She rasped. "You are the last Skywalker. You must live." She inhaled a trembling breath, sweat accumulating on her skin: icy cold. Death wasn't as beautiful or peaceful as she had previously imagined, with her stomach turning in on itself and eating away at her insides. It was painful, terrifying. "I love you, Ben. I will…I will always…be…with…y…" Her words faded away as she went limp in his arms.

"NO! REY! COME BACK TO ME! COME BACK!" Kylo's anguished screams echoed off the stone walls of the throne room, stealing his breath, tormenting him. His surroundings blurred. He couldn't think. He couldn't see. "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO US?" He sobbed to the empty air as he cradled her body tightly against him. He rocked her, feeling empty, numb inside. He had nothing left to exist for. If he couldn't bring her back, then he would die, too. Death was preferable to an empty life without her. She was already becoming transparent in his arms. He clutched at her, forcefully trying to stop her from fading away. "NO! NO! WAIT FOR ME! WAIT!"

"_Ben." _

This wasn't another voice in his head. Kylo froze, every hair on the back of his neck rising as he turned his head to find a man standing a few feet away from him. The man was dressed in a white tunic, and long light brown robes, similar to the Jedi robes that his uncle, Luke Skywalker, used to favour. There was something about the man's face that was familiar, the shape of his eyes, his nose. There was a shimmering aura around the man. It was like he was glowing.

"Who are you?" Kylo demanded hoarsely.

"Deep down you already know." The man answered gravely. "But I'll tell you anyway. My name is Anakin. Anakin Skywalker…."

_**A/N-thanks for reading!**_


	31. Chapter 31

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! **_

"_**If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, they're yours; if they don't, they never were." **_

_**Richard Bach**_

**Chapter Thirty-One-If You Love Someone, Set Them Free**

Kylo's brain stuttered for a moment as he waited for his thoughts to catch up. He couldn't believe what he was seeing-the Force ghost of his dead grandfather, Anakin Skywalker. He was in shock, completely convinced he was hallucinating. His head injury was severe enough to warrant him losing his mind altogether. He closed his eyes momentarily, doing his best to wish away the shimmering figure standing a few feet away from him. He had just lost Rey, the other half of himself. He was empty, lost and alone. He couldn't take anymore. Kylo opened his eyes, expecting the ghostly figure of Anakin Skywalker to be gone, but it was still there, his face openly showing nothing but compassion and sympathy for his plight.

"Stay away from me!" Kylo sobbed wretchedly as he scooted away on his hands and knees in an attempt to escape from the tragic figure from his distant past. He had idolised this man-or more to the point, his dark alter ego-Darth Vader, believing that he was his connection to the dark side of the force. Kylo had been in possession of Vader's disfigured helmet for years, which had been scavenged from his funeral pyre on Endor. A silent symbol of both the dark side's power and its weakness, he had kept it in his private quarters aboard the Finalizer, and communed with it whenever he felt drawn to the light. But after everything that had happened to him since, the sight of this man just sickened him, reminding him of everything he once was and desperately tried to escape from.

"Ben." Anakin said gently as he approached him.

"Don't you say my name!" Kylo roared as he climbed unsteadily on to his feet. The blood was still gushing from his head wound. He reached up to touch it; his fingers coming away sticky with blood.

A deep sigh left Anakin's lips. "Would you rather I address you as Kylo Ren instead?" He asked, somewhat sarcastically.

"I would rather you didn't address me at all!" Kylo retorted bitterly. "You are nothing but a figment of my imagination sent to torture me in my darkest hour."

"I can assure you I'm not." Anakin continued earnestly.

Kylo felt overcome with exhaustion. There is a certain level of tiredness that equates to insanity; for him it was like his spirit had temporarily disconnected from his body. He felt paralysed. He dragged his fingers through his inky black hair as he stared dazedly at the ghostly figure of long dead grandfather. "If you're real then why are you here _now,_ when it's all too late?"

"I've always been here, Ben." Anakin said sadly. "But this is the first time you've allowed yourself to see the real me. And not Vader."

"What?" Kylo struggled under the weight of this new information. "You're lying."

"I have no reason to lie to you." Anakin said with another heavy sigh. "You were too consumed by the dark side for me to be able to reach you. I believe Darth Sidious and his creation Snoke also had a hand in blocking my attempts to communicate with you directly."

Kylo felt an unbearable ache capture what was left of his broken heart and twist it into knots. He had firmly believed that the Jedi had abandoned him long ago. To find that one of them, the man Anakin was, before he became consumed by Darth Vader, had been trying to reach out to him this whole time, broke him all over again. "I can't…I can't deal with this…I want to…I just want to be with Rey. Just leave me alone. It's too late."

"Its not too late, Ben. Haven't you learned that by now?" Anakin reminded him gently.

His eyes glassy with tears, Kylo drew in a ragged breath as he looked at his grandfather. He had fought the compelling voices in his head for over two decades when he finally snapped. The voices had always been there from the moment he could think, always his constant companions, repeating all his insecurities back to him in his greatest moments of doubt, constantly, with no respite-his busy parents, too important to notice that he was quietly falling apart.

As he aged, the voices were growing louder, reminding him that he wasn't worthy of being the successor to his parents and legendary uncle. That he would never live up to the Skywalker name. The voices were relentless and omnipresent. They seemed to know what he was thinking before he actually thought it and used it against him to twist the knife and make him feel worthless. That was until Rey came into his life and pulled him back to the light. With Palpatine dead his mind had been his own again for the first time in his life, that was until he had encountered the evil Empress, and was once again forced to survive by his wits alone in order to find Rey again.

"I've lost everyone. My parents, Skywalker_…. Rey._ They're all dead." The words burned Kylo's throat and he choked on them, his body tensing as his grief at the loss of his other half, killed him all over again. "She's gone. I can't live without her."

"I understand." Anakin murmured.

"How could you possibly understand?" Kylo rounded on him, his resentment flaring up despite the heavy weight of his grief.

Anakin glared at him, his expression turning hard. "You don't think I've loved someone as passionately as you, because I was once Darth Vader?" He demanded.

Kylo felt both physically and mentally exhausted. His body was screaming at him to rest, to lie down where Rey had fallen and let itself drift into nothingness, while his mind needed him to move, to burn the anxiety right out of it. His conflicting feelings came out as a muttered curse as he matched Anakin's glare. "Maybe you once did." He conceded. "But you turned away from her, you left her to die."

The harshness of his response stirred an equally harsh response from Anakin. His grandfather's whole stance changed as he began to circle Kylo, his eyes blazing with indignation.

"Do you have any idea of how I fell to the dark side in the first place?" He snapped. "You, of all people, should understand what's its like to have someone whispering in your ear, constantly feeding on your insecurities and twisting them to suit his own twisted ambition. But while those voices were in your head-mine was a mentor, a trusted ally, a man I considered a friend until he revealed his true face. But by then I was already lost, I had allowed my fears to overcome my reason. It was as Master Yoda once said-train yourself to let go of everything that you fear to lose. But I held on to those fears, they consumed me. And Palpatine, knowing that my deepest fear was losing the woman that I loved, used that to his advantage. In my quest to save her life, because I couldn't live without her, it proved to be my downfall and hers."

Anakin's sigh that followed was heavy with regret; it was as if a tension had lifted yet left him with a melancholy instead of relief. "Of course, in many ways it was much more complex then that, but ultimately my fears led to anger, which led to hate, which is a sure path to the dark side."

In that moment, that flash of anger that Kylo used to protect himself from emotional pain was missing. He didn't have the strength to summon it. He and the young Anakin Skywalker were more alike then he had ever imagined. He had failed to harness that anger, to harness his deepest fears, just like his grandfather. He never understood why love must be free; he did now. It must be free or the need will warp your own nature and change the love into something it should never be. Love isn't possession, but the wing beneath the wings of the one you love. Rey's love had been like that. She had strived to show him he was worthy of being loved, just like his parents had tried. In his weakness he had allowed those manipulative voices to convince him of something different, though they hadn't completely erased the light inside of him. Rey was his light.

It was unfair that no matter how much he strived to be the man his conscience wanted him to be, it would keep taunting him with his failures. Each time the regrets re-emerged he would diligently analyse them again, hoping that this time his mind would be satisfied with his self-professed remorse, but it never was. Like an unforgiving spectre it would be back tomorrow to haunt him all over again.

"I'm lost." He admitted to Anakin. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"Yes, you do, Ben." Anakin smiled sadly. "You've known all along." His ghostly image began to fade, along with his voice.

Tears travelled down Ben's face as he allowed Anakin's last words to wash over him. He was telling him not to repeat his mistakes. "_Let go of everything you fear to lose."_ Just the fear to lose something or someone is an indication that you are going down the wrong road. Just like his fears of losing Rey. And her him. This whole crazy journey had started because of that fear. They had repeated the cycle over and over in each universe-finding each other, or another version of each other, only to lose one another again- then tearing the universe apart to get back together, drawing on the intensity of their dyad bond to find one another by any means possible.

_He had to be okay with letting her go._

"Letting go" however, did not strictly imply separation. Just letting go of the fear, should have the same effect. However, if this is not possible, then separation is required, because if you do not do it, you will end up hurting yourself and those you say you love. Love is not proven by possession but by respect and understanding.

Ben closed his eyes, his tears still spilling from under his closed lids as an image formed in his mind. He saw Anakin sitting in a meditation room, the horizontal shades drawn against the bright light, leaving half his face in shadow. He wasn't alone. Across from him sat a smaller figure-wizened by age and the passage of time-Master Yoda.

_"These visions you have ..."_

_"They are of pain, suffering ... death." Anakin said with difficulty as he ducked his head slightly. _

_Yoda studied Anakin's reactions closely. "Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin! The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side."_

_"I won't let my visions come true, Master Yoda." Anakin answered harshly._

_Yoda let out a small sigh. "Rejoice for those around us who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy, the shadow of greed, that is."_

_Anakin hung his head again. "What must I do, Master Yoda?" He pleaded._

_Yoda studied the troubled young Jedi. "Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose."_

The image faded out and Ben opened his eyes again. A strange calm descended on him. A quiet acceptance. There was absolute stillness. Not a sound could be heard either close at hand or in the far-off distance. Even his own breath seemed to die when it left his mouth. It was an eerie sort of tranquillity, so instead of being soothed his senses became heightened. It was like everything was encased in a cocoon, a bubble.

Ben dragged his fingers through his matted hair again; the deep wound on the back of his head ached and throbbed. He closed his eyes again, reaching out to the Force, in the stillness he heard her calling his name. In that extended moment his mind became at peace. Rey was not gone-she was right there. It was time to go home.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself looking up at her lovely face. His head was resting in her lap, her fingers were stroking his brow in the gentlest caress. Rey smiled down at him. It was the prettiest thing he had ever seen, for it extended to her eyes and deep into her soul. She looked so vibrant and free.

His answering smile was one of happiness growing, much as a spring flower opens. It came from deep inside to light his eyes and spread to every part of him. It was beautiful. "Hi." He said.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! May the 4**__**th**__** be with you, LOL **__** I see that's trending today because of Star Wars day.**_


	32. Chapter 32

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-thank you for the kind reviews. **_

**Chapter Thirty-Two-New Horizons**

The dry conditions on Exegol, combined with the rubbing of dust particles in its atmosphere, created enormous static discharges that appeared as lightning strikes from the planet surface. The eerie blue flashes were Rey and Ben's only source of light as they finally moved from their position on the ground. Pain hit Ben as soon as he attempted to rise. How easily he had forgotten about the injuries he had sustained when Sidious had flung him into the pit. If that ledge hadn't broken his fall, there was no way he would have survived to crawl back to Rey. Rey dived under his arm, using herself as a crutch to aid him to rise. Ben winced again as the pain in his broken ribs bit deep, stealing his breath. He took slow, steady breaths as he fought the pain. He had been through much worse than this. Fate had brought them back together; had given them both a second chance. It was a hard lesson that they had learned. They had been on an incredible journey to get back here, to the very place that journey had started.

"Ben, let me heal you." Rey said softly when she noticed his struggle. He grimaced every time he took a step, his left leg was dragging uselessly behind him, another victim of his long fall. A quick shake of his head kiboshed that idea. There was no way that he was going to let her risk her health to cure him. Not after what had happened before. He was done with Force-healing. It was too dangerous. He was determined to heal the old-fashioned way. "If you insist on being stubborn…" She continued as they shuffled slowly along. They had to keep stopping to rest when the pain got too much for Ben. On one of their brief halts, Rey asked him how they were supposed to get off the dark, barren planet. "You're in no condition to pilot that Tie fighter you flew here in, and Luke's old X-Wing doesn't have enough room to fit both of us." She pointed out reasonably.

"We'll figure something out." Ben muttered.

"Let me heal you." Rey said again.

"No!" Ben answered fiercely. His brows drew down into a deep frown as he glared at her to make his point.

Rey didn't know why, but his annoyed expression amused her. She felt laughter bubbling in the back of her throat. She attempted to stifle it, but the harder she tried, the worse it got, until she had no choice but to let it break free. Her sweet, joyful laughter burst forth like a bubbling stream. It echoed around the cavernous throne room, the happy sound completely at odds with their grim surroundings.

Ben stared at her in bemusement. "What's so funny?"

"You…" Rey snickered as she tried to catch her breath. Her laughter was so free and pure, so childish despite her adult years, that Ben couldn't help but be lifted by the sound. His own mood brightened and he found himself grinning, despite having no idea what she found so amusing. "Oh, Ben." Rey wheezed when she finally got control of herself. "You looked so much like Han when you were telling me off."

"Did I?" A satisfied smile-expressed by the slightest curve at the corner of his mouth and a youthful confidence worn in a light rise of the eyebrow, above a quizzical, joyful eye-made him appear more like Han then ever.

"Yes." Rey reached up to place a tender hand on the side of his face. Sometimes it shocked her how tall he really was. "And when you smile you have Leia's warm brown eyes."

A profound sadness took hold of Ben as he thought about his mother. He had found a semblance of peace regarding his father. Their bittersweet conversation on the ruined remains of the Death star on Kef Bir had allowed him to let go of the guilt that haunted on him on an almost daily basis. Han had forgiven him. That forgiveness had been the final death knell for Kylo Ren and allowed him to move forward as his true self-Ben Solo. He wished he could find that same sense of peace about his mother. He wished with all his heart that he could see Leia one last time.

Rey shared his sadness. She hadn't brought up Leia to hurt him. Her intention was the exact opposite. She wanted Ben to feel able to talk about his mother. She wanted him to remember the good times he had with her, and not dwell on the bad. They had both endured enough pain to last through several lifetimes.

"I never got to tell her how sorry I am." Ben's brown eyes were glassy with tears as he spoke. "Or how much I loved her."

"She knew, Ben." Rey assured him. "When she was training me, she spoke to me about you every day. About how much she loved you and longed for you to come home. And now you have."

Ben wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, gently rubbing her lower back. Despite the heaviness in his stomach, it fluttered at the feeling of her body pressed against his. Rey sunk into the warmth of his side, snuggling as close as possible. Her loving presence made him feel warmer somehow, his sadness a little less bleak.

"We've still got a problem though, Ben." Rey's voice came out muffled against his warm chest.

"What's that?" Ben murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"We've still got to figure how the hell we're going to get off this cursed planet." Rey reminded him.

* * *

Desperate times called for desperate measures. With Ben unable to pilot the crumbling Tie fighter he had salvaged on Kef Bir because of his injuries, they were left with Luke's old X-Wing, which wasn't really in much better shape. Rey had only done a few necessary repairs to it originally, before leaving Ach-to to fly to Exegol. The cockpit was only meant for one person, even as ingenious as Rey was with fixing things, there was only so much she could pull apart in order to make more space. Even then the capacity was only enough for one and a half people of average height. And Ben was taller than the average person. But with no other choice remaining open to them, somehow, they managed it. Ben was in absolute agony as he contorted his long body around hers in order for her for to fly the X-Wing. It ended up being one of the worst journeys of his life, by the time they made it to the next nearest star system, his tongue was nearly bitten through as he attempted to stifle his groans of pain.

They had been forced to take a long and circuitous route in order to avoid detection by the Resistance fleet and their new allies. They knew if they were both discovered, for Ben, it could prove fatal. Even though Rey was with him, with Leia no longer around to shield him, they would not tolerate him. He was essentially a fugitive now. And because Rey had chosen to remain with him, she was one now, too.

On the first inhabited planet they landed on, Rey was forced to leave Ben behind to travel on foot to the nearest outpost to barter for a new ship. She had developed a tough hide growing up on Jakku, being forced to rely on her wits to survive in such a harsh and perilous environment. She knew how to trade. Most of what she was offered was no better then scrap. The X-Wing may be on the verge of falling apart, but it was still worth more than the trash that she was being shown, even for nostalgic value alone. Eventually she was introduced to a grizzled male Ugnaught male called Devon. He had an old gun-ship for sale. It was once a military craft used to patrol local territories prior to the Galactic Empire. It was battered and needed a lot of work, but was at least a viable option to what she had been offered so far. Devon was intrigued by Rey's offer of an exchange and travelled back with her in the old gunship to inspect the X-Wing.

Thankfully the Ugnaught seemed pleased to trade once he had satisfied himself that Luke's old X-Wing was in full working order. He shook Rey's hand on the deal and immediately left in the X-Wing, leaving the old gunship in her care. Ben had been left speechless when he was introduced to their new living quarters. The old gunship was a relic, but somehow felt perfect for them right now. Its original name was lost a long time ago. Devon had failed to rename it. It had been given to him in exchange for settling an old gambling debt.

"It needs a name." Ben suggested hoarsely when Rey helped him up the ramp. He breathed shallowly as the pain from his broken ribs became overwhelming.

Rey helped settle him into the co-pilots seat. "Is the pain worse?" She asked anxiously.

"It'll pass." Ben stretched out his legs, relieved to have more room to move. He tried to distract Rey, who was becoming increasingly concerned about his condition. "Any ideas?" He asked.

"For what?" Rey's hazel eyes were trained on his face, searching for any miniscule sign that he was downplaying his injuries to make her feel better.

"For our new home of course." Ben responded huskily.

"Home!" A small glimmer of a smile lit up her face briefly as she rolled the word around her tongue. She liked that description. It would be their first home together, something that was truly theirs. They could make it what they wanted it to be. In truth her home was in Ben's arms. She only needed his love to be healthy and whole. Rey had never been interested in material things. Her focus growing up had always been on the next warm meal. But, somehow, this was different. This ship was part of her and Ben's future. It would take them wherever they needed to go. "I think you've already chosen one." She guessed.

"New Horizons." Ben grinned despite the pain still torturing his body.

Rey responded with a smile that was genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that made unexpected warmth rush through him. "Perfect. New Horizons it is." She whispered as she leaned down to kiss him to seal the deal.

_**A/N-thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed the story. I know its been a crazy ride, but our space babies are back in their own universe where they belong. Its been one hell of a journey to get there, but they learned important lessons along the way. **_

_**Now they have a new ship and are starting on the next journey, together this time. I can end the story here or continue with them navigating their life together post Exegol. I leave it up to you guys to decide.**_


	33. Chapter 33

**The Pivotal Moment**

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to their respective owners.

_**A/N-sorry for the delay. Here is the epilogue I promised. Thanks once again to everyone who kindly reviewed this story! **_

**Epilogue**

_**Nine years post Exegol;**_

"I've made you some Caf.'" Ben said to Rey as he steered his way carefully into the cockpit.

"You're a lifesaver." Rey turned to smile at her husband, reaching out to take the flask of Caf' from him. She had been up all night, piloting New Horizons through an extremely difficult patch of space. With all the modifications she and Ben made over the last few years, the old gunship was hardly recognisable from the old relic she had bartered Skywalker's old X-Wing for.

Rey raised the flask to her lips and sighed in bliss as the warm liquid slid smoothly down her throat. As she drank, Ben leaned in and began to kiss her neck. Even though she was extremely tired, Rey knew that as soon as he started to kiss her in her sweet spot that she would crumble.

"Are the kids still asleep?" She murmured as his soft lips continued to caress her sensitive skin.

"I checked. Eyes closed. Even breathing. We're all good." Ben promised.

After just a few delicate touches of his warm lips, Rey engaged autopilot and allowed Ben to lift her out of her seat. He quickly took her place, pulling her with him until she was straddling his lap. All Rey's previous thoughts stopped in their tracks as her hands started to do his bidding. Now she had only one desire, one wish, and they both knew it was just a matter of time before it happened.

"MOM!" Their son's loud voice bellowed from their living quarters down below, interrupting their blissful moment. "DAD! LEE LEE'S JUMPING ON MY BED AGAIN!"

Ben groaned in disbelief as he cussed under his breath. "Unbelievable!"

"I thought you said they were asleep." Rey complained irritably as she climbed off his lap and adjusted her clothing.

"They were." Ben answered defensively. "Well at least Tai definitely was…"

"Ben!" Rey rolled her eyes in exasperation. "You better go and see what trail of destruction our daughter has left behind this time."

"Me?" Ben questioned in alarm. "I can't right now."

"Why not?" Rey demanded as she followed the direction of his gaze. "Oh." She muttered as realisation dawned. "Pour cold water on it or something." She suggested grumpily before storming off to the belly of the ship.

Being a parent to two extremely force sensitive children was proving more challenging than either she or Ben had ever anticipated. It would have been difficult enough if they had ever managed to settle in one place, but with their nomadic lifestyle, it was proving taxing. Raising two kids on a ship wasn't ideal. They were four people sharing a small space. Even with all the modifications and improvements they had made, they were often falling over each other.

"MOM!" Tai bellowed again.

"Coming." Rey sighed as the door to her son's room slid open, revealing Tai's harassed expression as he tried to keep his chaotic younger sister under control. As usual Leia was bouncing off the walls.

Rey grabbed her three-year-old daughter by the back of her shirt and raised her up so she was dangling in front of her eye to eye. "Lee Lee, what have I told you about annoying your brother?" She scolded her.

"I wan' one, Mommy." Leia cooed.

"Want what?" Rey frowned as she glanced down at her annoyed son. "What is she talking about, Tai?"

"Nothing." Tai's gaze slid guiltily to one side. He clasped his hands behind his back and tried to look as innocent as was possible for an eight-year-old boy to do. He looked so much like Ben when he was being rebuked that it was hard for her to keep a straight face. His thick black hair, which despite extensive grooming, never seemed to stay tidy. It flopped in his face, forcing him to brush it out of his eyes.

"Tai!" Rey prompted him.

Tai began to fidget as he came under his mother's scrutiny. He shot his younger sister an annoyed glare. Leia, who was still dangling in her mother's tight grip, gave him a toothy smile. Like her older brother, she had inherited her father's thick black hair. Hers was pulled into two bunches, which made her look like she had two jug handles on either side of her head.

"I wannnee one. Mommy, pleeease." Leia began to whine.

"What, sweetheart?" Rey was completely mystified. "What do you want?" She asked as she let go of the back of her small daughter's shirt and balanced Leia against her hip instead.

Leia pursed her lips as she tried to wrap them around the difficult word she was trying to pronounce. What had Tai called the blue glowing stick thingy? "Sa….sab…saby?" She tried.

"Saber." Rey corrected her.

Leia nodded enthusiastically and clapped her hands in delight. Rey's eyes narrowed as she glared down at her son. "Tai." She said warningly. "We only let you keep the practice saber under strict instructions that you not use it when your sister is around."

"Its not my fault!" Tai protested hotly. "She's always around. Wherever I go. There she is. Nothing can keep her out of my stuff. Not when she uses the force."

"What's going on?" Ben had finally joined them after sorting his '_problem_.'

Rey handed their chaotic daughter over to him as tiredness made her eyes droop. "They're all yours." She said to Ben, yawning to emphasise her point. "Good luck…I mean goodnight."

Ben held his giggling daughter under her arms as he watched the doors slide closed after his exhausted wife. He gave both children a stern look. "Whatever you did. Don't do it again." He scolded them.

Tai rolled his eyes while Leia just focused on levitating some of her brother's toys in the air. "What have I told you about using the force, Missy." Ben warned her as the toys fell to the floor when he broke her concentration. Leia pouted when he ruined her fun and folded her arms across her chest in imitation of her mother. "Aww you look so much like your mother when you do that." He said fondly as he tickled Leia under the chin, setting her off into another fit of giggles. "Right, kids, its time for some morning meditation." He announced cheerfully.

Tai groaned as he rolled his eyes again. "Can't we at least have breakfast first?" He complained.

"Nope." Ben ruffled his son's messy hair. "Meditation and then breakfast. And we all need to be quiet and on our best behaviour. Especially you, Missy." He told Leia as he carried her out of his son's room. Leia smiled at him mischievously, showing all her baby teeth.

Ben knew that look. He sighed again. It was going to be a very long morning.

* * *

To the sounds of his children bickering over breakfast in the background, Ben took over the controls of the ship and punched in the coordinates for Kashyyk. It was time for another pit stop and the kids always enjoyed visiting Uncle Chewie.

Ben relaxed in his seat as he let his mind drift back to the past. Six months after fleeing Exegol, Rey had fallen pregnant for the first time. To say they were both shocked was an understatement. They had always been so careful, neither of them wanting to start a family until they had found somewhere to settle permanently. Unfortunately, their fugitive lifestyle made that dream was nigh on impossible. They needed to stay under the radar for obvious reasons. Ben was a wanted man which meant they were constantly moving in case someone recognised him. They had several close shaves over the years, barely escaping with their lives when they were discovered living in the forests of Naboo two months after Sidious' fall.

Rey's unexpected pregnancy had been the catalyst for them reaching out to Chewbacca and asking for sanctuary on his home world so Rey would have somewhere safe to give birth. Despite Ben's fraught history with his surrogate uncle, the Wookie had put aside his own ambivalent feelings, and welcomed them with open arms. And Ben was glad he had. Tai's birth had been riddled with complications. He was breech-which meant he was facing the wrong way. At one critical point Ben thought he was going to lose Rey. She endured so much blood loss, the outcome was looking bleak. He didn't know what he would have done without Chewie's support. Ben's eyes grew moist just thinking about that difficult time. Thankfully the outcome had been good. Rey gave birth to healthy baby boy, who they named Tai, in memory of the only friend Ben had ever really made when he was training under Skywalker.

Rey took months to recover. They stayed on Kashyyk for over a year, with Chewie playing the doting uncle. It was pure restlessness that made them leave. So, when Tai was old enough to start walking on his own, they packed up their ship, bid a fond farewell to Chewie, promising to stay in touch, and headed off for another new horizon. And that's what they had been doing ever since, wandering the galaxy in search of the next adventure. When Rey had unexpectedly fallen pregnant again a few years later, they had returned to Kashyyk in a panic, expecting the worst. But this time the birth had gone smoothly and they welcomed a baby girl into their family, christening her Leia, after Ben's mother.

"Hey." Rey's greeting pulled him back into the moment. She leaned in for a kiss, her lips brushing his teasingly before pulling back.

"You're supposed to be resting." He chided her gently.

"With that noise?" Rey said playfully, referring to the bickering that was still going on in the background.

Ben couldn't believe he had managed to tune everything out as he reflected on the past. He sought Rey's lips again, his kisses becoming increasingly demanding as he tried to coax her back onto his lap again. She laughed, pushing him away gently. "We're heading to Kashyyk I see." She said with raised eyebrows.

"We were overdue for a visit." Ben smirked.

"Uh huh." Rey's laughter was like sunshine after a rainy day. Ben would never get tired of hearing it. "Let's just hope that Uncle Chewie is up for some babysitting."

"Let's hope so. Because I'm getting desperate." Ben murmured as he pulled her mouth back to his. He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, with the promise of more to come.

_**A/N-thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed that little snippet of Ben and Rey's lives post Exegol. Please review if you have the time. **_


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